Average customer rating:
- perfectly organized for bedtime
- Great content, awful format
- Interesting Read
- As Good as Everyone is Saying...Just Buy It!
- Better than the 7 Harry Potter books together
|
Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days
Jessica Livingston
Manufacturer: Apress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Entrepreneurship
| Small Business & Entrepreneurship
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
High-Tech
| Industries & Professions
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Computer Science
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
| Artificial Intelligence
| Circuitry
| General
| Human-Computer Interaction
| Information Theory
| Modeling & Simulation
| Research
| Software Engineering
| Systems Analysis & Design
Software Development
| Software Design, Testing & Engineering
| Programming
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Programming
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Dreaming in Code: Two Dozen Programmers, Three Years, 4,732 Bugs, and One Quest for Transcendent Software
-
The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything
-
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
-
The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)
-
Smart and Gets Things Done: Joel Spolsky's Concise Guide to Finding the Best Technical Talent
Accessories:
-
Use Case Driven Object Modeling with UML: Theory and Practice
-
Practical Subversion, Second Edition (Expert's Voice in Open Source)
ASIN: 1590597141 |
Book Description
For would-be entrepreneurs, innovation managers or just anyone fascinated by the special chemistry and drive that created some of the best technology companies in the world, this book offers both wisdom and engaging insights—straight from the source.
— Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine, and author of The Long Tail
"All the best things that I did at Apple came from (a) not having money and (b) not having done it before, ever." —Steve Wozniak, Apple
Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days is a collection of interviews with founders of famous technology companies about what happened in the very earliest days. These people are celebrities now. What was it like when they were just a couple friends with an idea? Founders like Steve Wozniak (Apple), Caterina Fake (Flickr), Mitch Kapor (Lotus), Max Levchin (PayPal), and Sabeer Bhatia (Hotmail) tell you in their own words about their surprising and often very funny discoveries as they learned how to build a company.
Where did they get the ideas that made them rich? How did they convince investors to back them? What went wrong, and how did they recover?
Nearly all technical people have thought of one day starting or working for a startup. For them, this book is the closest you can come to being a fly on the wall at a successful startup, to learn how it's done.
But ultimately these interviews are required reading for anyone who wants to understand business, because startups are business reduced to its essence. The reason their founders become rich is that startups do what businessesdo—create value—more intensively than almost any other part of the economy. How? What are the secrets that make successful startups so insanely productive? Read this book, and let the founders themselves tell you.
Customer Reviews:
perfectly organized for bedtime.......2007-10-20
i open it up before bed, and one section is just enough to read by the time I am tired enough to sleep. I am not saying this book puts me to sleep - it's really good, but I like that you can read it in little chunks.
Great content, awful format.......2007-09-20
There's plenty of great information here, as all the other reviews said. But this interview format is really excruciating to read. Casual speech is very hard to transcribe in such a way that it becomes readable. This is why journalists and other writers are trained in how to reduce a long, tangential speech into something meaningful and clear. These interviews tend to run on and on and on, with the subjects jumping around, sometimes contradicting themselves, or misspeaking; all the stuff we do when talking, but which doesn't really matter in conversation, where other cues like body language make up for it. It really takes a lot of work to read this stuff, you're constantly having to hear the subject "out loud" in your head for it to make sense.
This book's easily twice as long as it could be if these interviews were edited down to a few really useful pages each. Or better: rewritten as short essays.
Interesting Read.......2007-09-19
Founders at Work is a fairly interesting read but lacks some depth. I'm the founder of a startup at the moment and am always keen to learn more about other founder's stories. The structure of this book is more like an interview with the interviewer rarely delving into the deeper human emotions, problems, issues, feelings etc of the founders. This really gives a basic "guided story" approach about each of the founders without any "pearls of wisdom" or "lessons learned".
Good for a single read or the average person who has an interest in technology startups from a founder's perspective, not worth being made into a hardcover.
As Good as Everyone is Saying...Just Buy It!.......2007-09-16
Loved this book. The interviewer asked a similar set of questions for all participants yet improvised when needed to follow an interesting train of thought to it's natural conclusion. All of the participants were refreshingly candid. Almost as if they were unloading on a therapist. Each interview is just long enough to feel complete but not so long as to feel redundant. On another note, I'm pretty anal when it comes to the physical presentation of a book and this one passes all my criteria: Decent margins, pleasant type face, good line space and font sizes, flexible spine stays open easily without trying to close itself, and easy to browse logical organization. If you're an entrepreneur working on tech start up this is one of the few "must read" books.
Better than the 7 Harry Potter books together.......2007-08-12
Better than the 7 Harry Potter books together (wich is a bad comparison as I didn't like them that much). The book is a collection of interviews with founders of famous technology companies about what happened in the very earliest days and later. Within each interviews, you'll catch dozen of interesting infos. Believe me , when you start it, you'll finish it within the week.
Book Description
Restaurants are one of the most frequently started small businesses, yet have one of the highest failure rates. Survivors need a powerful strategic advantage: a sound business plan and feasibility study prior to opening. A new study from The Ohio State University has found the restaurant industry failure rate between 1996 and 1999 to be between 57-61 percent over three years. Don't be a statistic on the wrong side, plan now for success with this new book & CDRom package.
A business plan precisely defines your business, identifies your goals, and serves as your firm's resume. The basic components include a current and pro forma balance sheet, an income statement, and a cash flow analysis. It helps you allocate resources properly, handle unforeseen complications, and make good business decisions. Because it provides specific and organized information about your company and how you will repay borrowed money, a good business plan is a crucial part of any loan application. Additionally, it informs personnel, suppliers, and others about your operations and goals. Despite the critical importance of a business plan, many entrepreneurs drag their feet when it comes to preparing a written document. They argue that their marketplace changes too fast for a business plan to be useful or that they just don't have enough time. But just as a builder won't begin construction without a blueprint, eager business owners shouldn't rush into new ventures without a business plan.
The Cd Rom will cover the following subjects: Elements of a Business Plan, Cover sheet ,Statement of purpose, The Business, Description of The Restaurant, Marketing, Competition, Operating procedures, Personnel, Business insurance, Financial Data, Loan applications, Capital equipment and supply list, Balance sheet, Breakeven analysis, Pro-forma income projections (profit & loss statements), Three-year summary, Detail by month, first year, Detail by quarters, second and third years, Assumptions upon which projections were based, Pro-forma cash flow, Supporting Documents, For franchised businesses, a copy of franchise contract and all, supporting documents provided by the franchisor, Copy of proposed lease or purchase agreement for building space, Copy of licenses and other legal documents, Copy of resumes of all principals, Copies of letters of intent from suppliers, etc.
A new study from The Ohio State University has found the restaurant industry failure rate between 1996 and 1999 to be between 57-61 percent over three years. Don't be a statistic on the wrong side, plan now for success with this new book and CD-Rom package.
Customer Reviews:
The perfect tool for reassurance.......2007-05-13
Especially for people who have been in the business for awhile, but never did their own thing- the sample business plan/program outlines major items you may not have thought about.
Also has helpful contacts, web addresses, and other resources pertinent in educating someone on opening a restaurant.
Opening a Restaurant or Other Food Business Starter Kit: How to Prepare a Restaurant Business Plan & Feasibility Study by Sharon.......2006-12-29
Sharon Fullen provides thought-provoking as well as practical steps to prepare for entrepreneurship by making the Readers aware that opening a restaurant is more than an idea but requires planning.
Not only are you moved to do more than come up with a wish list but one must take the time to write their vision, study the market, and come to terms if their business idea will be a profit maker or a profit shaker.
Such helpful information can propel the business in positive directions and bring about a boost in the economy by following the guidelines and suggestions within this book.
The added benefit of having a CD to provide hands-on experience of completing a business plan is another way the author shows her expertise in bringing the tools in the book to actual life for the Readers. The old saying that " experience is the best teacher" or "practice makes perfect" seems to have been a consideration of the author. This in my opinion sets this author apart from others.
Great book for starting restaurant business.......2006-12-23
Before reading this book I have never thought that opening a small restaurant might be so involved process. But I guess it is better to learn it before you invest your money. I am glad I read this book it opened my eyes and allowed to look behind my dream of being a restaurant owner. I would not say this book discouraged me - not at all. I will be able to make more educated decisions instead of emotional ones.
Recommend it to everyone who thinks of opening a restaurant business.
Guide for Starting a Restaurant.......2006-12-20
This Restaurant starter kit is a good reference as well as the companion CD that provides a sample business plan. From preliminary information gathering in preparation to writing the business plan such as market research, audience, expected clientele, scope of perceived services, menu planning this resource provides all the pieces necessary to guide you through the start-up process.
The section on software is expertly done in providing the layperson with a grasp of the software available and will save a fortune in missteps if read and followed. The choice in software can undoubtedly determine the quality and speed that you develop your plan.
Sharon Fullen does an exceptional job in guiding the layperson through the process of the feasibility analysis to include concept, location, execution and financing thus rounding out the completed business plan. The idea of a marketing plan is discussed showing the importance of a well-planned and executed marketing effort versus just tossing a few bucks to the wind and hoping for the best. The author has provided an invaluable tool for the upcoming restaurateur as he/she plans, develops and opens their life dream.
Holding Success in Your Hand!.......2006-05-24
While this resource guide by Sharon Fullen may not deal with the most glamorous aspect of opening a new restaurant or other food business, it certainly discusses the most import: the business plan. The entire book and accompanying CD-ROM handles basic business preparation with aplomb. Starting with What is a Business Plan? and ending with an entire chapter devoted to an example of a sample business plan, Fullen leaves no stone unturned. She highlights business plan writing strategies, pinpoints problem areas that are often stumbling blocks to success, intersperses invaluable information on writing a feasibility analysis and deftly assists the reader with ideas on how to implement and understand successful marketing strategies. One section that should not be skipped discusses Getting Your Plan Published, offering tips on standing above the competition when presenting your business plan. The CD-ROM is an extra bonus that affords you the luxury of having printable examples and a portable way to use and share your new-found information. Opening a Restaurant or Other Food Preparation Starter Kit is a must-have resource for any aspiring restaurant owner; a resourceful guide that offers sound advice, concrete examples and hidden nuggets of valuable information that only serve to solidify a sound start to the opening of your new restaurant.
Book Description
This comprehensive handbook with companion CD ROM will clearly demonstrate how to set up, operate and manage a financially successful bed-and-breakfast or small hotel. Whatever your reason for wanting to open a bed and breakfast, keep in mind that at it takes more than dreams and rooms to achieve success, it is a business that must show a profit. This book will separate the romantic notions of owning a B&B from the business end.
While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through finding a location that will bring success, learn how to draw up a winning business plan (The Companion CD Rom has the actual business plan you can use in MS Word tm.), how to buy and (sell) a B&B, basic cost control systems, profitable menu planning, Reservation Systems, sample floor plans & diagrams, successful kitchen management, equipment layout and planning, food safety & HACCP, housekeeping, successful beverage management, reservation networks, legal concerns, sales and marketing techniques, room rate formulas, arrival, billing, departure, learn how to set up computer systems to save time and money, learn how to hire & keep a qualified professional staff, brand new IRS tip reporting requirements, managing and training employees, generate high profile public relations and publicity, learn low cost internal marketing ideas, low and no cost ways to satisfy customers and build sales, learn how to keep bringing customers back, accounting & bookkeeping procedures, auditing, successful budgeting and profit planning development, as well as thousands of great tips and useful guidelines.
There are literally hundreds of innovative ways demonstrated to streamline your business. Learn new ways to make the kitchen, bars, dining room, and front office run smoother and increase performance. Shut down waste, reduce costs, and increase profits. In addition operators will appreciate this valuable resource and reference in their daily activities and as a source of ready-to-use forms, web sites, operating and cost cutting ideas, and mathematical formulas that can be easily applied to their operations. The Companion Cd Rom contains all the forms in the book as well as a sample business plan you can adapt for your own use.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book and I am an Owner.......2007-08-07
As an owner of a Boutique Hotel in Cartagena, Colombia, Casa El Carretero www.CasaElCarretero.com I can say that this book was a great guide. However, the passion for the business is fundamental. Pay attention to the staff and level of service you plan to have in the hotel. That can make or break the business.
Helpful.......2006-08-08
I thought Lora did a great job with this book. It is well-thought-out and presented in a manner that the reader can easily grasp. I'd buy this book and "I'm Living Your Dream Life" by Michele Cozzens before going into the business.
A Truly Professional Approach.......2006-06-09
If you're planning to open a bed and breakfast as a hobby or with the notion that "you're not really running a business, you're just making profits in your free time," this is not the book for you. This book covers almost all potential areas that you'll need to know to run a professional B&B, and the level of detail will quickly dissuade anyone who isn't serious. That having been said, anyone who does want to run a professional bed and breakfast will find the information invaluable. The forms included on the enclosed CD pay for the book themselves--everything from employment applications to inventory forms, invoices, standard recipe cards, and kitchen safety inspection forms. The book covers all stages of the planning and setup process, including business plans, marketing and promotion, safety, and employees. Particularly useful is the section on marketing, something that most B&Bs that I've known tend to ignore. With a little creativity (and there are lots of suggestions contained in this chapter), your B&B can become part of the very identity of the neighborhood or city you live in, as in, "If you want to capture the flavor of X, go to this B&B!" The only change I would make to the book would be to make the section on writing business plans a more user friendly for those B&B owners who have never opened a business before. Nevertheless, the book contains lots of hardheaded business sense, presented plainly and clearly, with many good examples of existing B&Bs to illustrate the point. While you may not need all the information included when you first open your business, this book will provide you with lots of options for a time when you're able to expand. I recommend this book to anyone seriously considering going into the B&B business as a business, rather than just a way of pouring money down the drain!
A Great Introduction.......2006-05-08
"HOW TO OPEN A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL BED & BREAKFAST: OR SMALL HOTEL" by Lora Arduser and Douglas R. Brown
This book was a fascinating exploration of the intricacies involved with opening a Bed and Breakfast. The authors were able to provide a step-by-step process for the beginning B&B entrepreneur. The book guides you in the decision to own a Bed and Breakfast, helps you decide on a location or to buy and existing B&B.
The authors make a fantastic effort to include real life business information such as how to make your own business plan and laws that will relate to your Bed and Breakfast business. They give you several checklists to help you format your mode of attack when starting your own business.
With a whole chapter devoted to computers this book is cutting edge in the Bed and Breakfast industry. Today everyone needs to have a web presence in order to market his or her company.
Guest are not going to be interested in a business plan. So the authors have developed several chapters on the operation of the Bed and Breakfast. They skillfully guide the reader from decorating, setting policies, what food you should serve, housekeeping, and your day-to-day staffing requirements.
A bonus CD is offered with the book and provides valuable samples of over 30 forms that are needed when starting and opening your own B&B. The CD is simple to use and will save any entrepreneur tons of time.
This book is a great introduction to the world of Bed and Breakfast owning and operation.
A Dream to Own.......2006-04-19
The book is packed with valuable information for anyone who has ever dreamed of opening a bed and breakfast. The layout of the book is easy to use and simple to understand. The authors go into great detail on many aspects of the business. It begins with giving the reader a realistic look at the time and effort, as well as, the financial aspect of what goes into starting such a business so that the reader can decide whether or not it will work for them. It has details on everything from how to select a location to writing a business plan. Also has everything you need to know about hiring, laws, and even how much to charge.
The book comes complete with an easy to use CD-ROM which has many samples of business plans and forms needed to run the business. Complete and comprehensive, this book is likely to be a asset to anyone who wants to open a bed and breakfast, whether or not they have experience in it or not. Even those who already own one may want to read this book for new ideas and refresh on some subjects. Chocked full of plenty of information that is likely to be overlooked when first starting a business; this book will help any entrepreneur get their business off on the right foot.
Having worked in a bed and breakfast for several years, this book is sure to clearly help those who are thinking about starting their own bed and breakfast.
Book Description
The small bakeries that are popping up every where in this country can be started with a low investment compared to other food business, and can be highly profitable! This is the A-to-Z guide to making it in your own small bakery! Learn the expert tips, tricks, and a vast gold mine of crucial how-to information you just can't find anywhere else. This is a perfect book for entrepreneurs, schools, colleges and technical training centers. This detailed text contains all the information you will ever need to needed to start, operate, and manage a highly profitable bakery.
While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through finding a location that will bring success, learn how to draw up a winning business plan (The Companion Cd Rom has the actual business plan you can use in MS Word tm.), how to buy and (sell) a bakery, basic cost control systems, profitable product planning, sample floor plans & diagrams, successful kitchen management, equipment layout and planning, food safety & HACCP, successful food & beverage management, legal concerns, sales and marketing techniques, pricing formulas, learn how to set up computer systems to save time and money, learn how to hire & keep a qualified professional staff, brand new IRS tip reporting requirements, managing and training employees, generate high profile public relations and publicity, learn low cost internal marketing ideas, low and no cost ways to satisfy customers and build sales, learn how to keep bringing customers back, accounting & bookkeeping procedures, auditing, successful budgeting and profit planning development, as well as thousands of great tips and useful guidelines. Never before has so much practical information about the bakery business been offered in one book.
This is an ideal guide new for comers to the business as well as experienced operators. In addition to basic operational practices this book will demonstrate show how to: increase impulse sales and improve presentation, utilize merchandising fixtures and techniques, cross merchandising, point of purchase materials, how to develop a product sampling program.
Customer Reviews:
good for someone who wants to manage a bakery.......2007-08-27
This book is excellent for someone who plans on managing a bakery--having lots of employees to do the actual baking, serving on people, cleaning, etc. If you are opening a small operation with yourself doing the majority of the work, this is good reading for when you expand.
Lots of Info.......2007-08-14
This book gives you the insight needed to start a bakery and how unstable to business may be. It's good to read through this book if you're thinking of opening a bakery and gives you the pro's and cons.
The authors do not sugar coat the process of opening and running a bakery.......2006-05-08
"HOW TO OPEN A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL BAKERY" by Sharon L. Fullen and Douglas R. Brown.
From start to finish this book will help to solidify your view of opening a bakery and the work that it will require. The authors do not sugar coat the process of opening and running a bakery. They give honest straightforward information to help you be as successful as possible.
This book is comprehensive look at the bakery business. Starting with the financial and real estate technicalities. Then moving into more technical aspect of running a bakery business. The section on customers was especially interesting. Many people want to start a new bakery and are unprepared to identify whom their customers are; this book is excellent in helping to narrow down your customer base. The authors also talk about ways of getting new customers in your doors.
Beyond marketing "How to open a financially successful Bakery" goes into public relations and even menu planning to help make your newly opened Bakery an absolute success. This is a great overview of all the areas of concern when opening a new bakery. The authors have gone to great lengths to provide the highest standard of information.
To make this book even better, it comes with a CD that contains over 30 forms for the operations of your new financially successful bakery. There are forms on general management issues, food safety issues, and even employee training. "How to open a financially successful bakery" is a great starter book for anyone considering opening their own bakery business.
Helpful .......2006-04-19
Though this book is packed with loads of information, the layout is not as simple to use and understand as it could be but still packs a punch. Much of the information that is given is useful in any business that is opened. The test at the beginning to see if someone is cut out to be an entrepreneur is very valuable. Explains the ends and out of how to start a bakery from the beginning, starting with the initial investment and helping the reader to understand how to get others to invest in their idea.
It lays out the basics of writing a successful business plan and how to deal with both the employees and the customers. Also, it goes into detail on how what equipment a bakery needs and marketing strategies as well as how to make the environment safe and stand up the health inspections.
Though the CD-ROM has many forms and other information that can be used, the book lacks details that are readily understandable on pricing and on how to use some of the forms. The section on pricing is easy for someone who has been in business to understand but for the newcomer, it may be slightly confusing. This is the problem with the forms also.
Overall, the book would be very beneficial to someone who is looking into starting a bakery. There is enough information in the areas which seem to be lacking to get a person started in the business. The areas lacking mean there will be slightly more trial and error when opening the business.
Great read.......2006-04-13
"How to Create a Financially Successful Bakery" bakery by Sharon L. Fuller and Douglas R. Brown is an excellent choice for anyone thinking about opening up their very own bakery. It presents a number of things to consider. From weighing the pros and cons of different bakery locations to selecting a menu and from possibly serving meals, coffee, and ice cream to deciding to buy or lease baking equipment, the authors of this book gave me a plenty to think about before I dive into the food industry. It is a great basic resource for anyone looking to own their own food industry business.
In addition to bringing up several points to consider, the authors also direct readers to a number of helpful resources and they guide readers to seek out individualized information from local sources, such as the local health department, fire department, and more.
I found the chapters on hiring the staff and getting set up with suppliers to be the most helpful. Sometimes when you are new to an industry it can be hard to know where to start. Thanks to "How to Create a Financially Successful Bakery" I now know what needs to get done.
The accompanying CD-ROM is also a great resource. On it are a number of sample business plans and related Microsoft Word documents that anyone can alter and use for their own start up business.
While the book does offer great insight into the industry, it is by no means an in-depth, step-by-step guide to owning your own bakery.
Book Description
“Mommy Millionaire is an inspiring gift and roadmap to success for anyone who's ever had a dream.”
—Barbara De Angelis, Ph.D., #1 New York Times bestselling author of HOW DID I GET HERE
Real-world advice, secrets and lessons on how to make a million dollars from a mom who turned her kitchen table idea into a successful business while keeping her family and kids Job #1.
MOMMY MILLIONAIRE will give you the tools you need to create your fortune, including:
* How to develop and patent an idea while saving thousands
* How to make a cold call
* How to get on QVC
* How to work a trade show
* How to develop an “elevator pitch”
* How to break down the doors of big retailers
* Everything you need to know about manufacturing and distribution
* How to raise capital from Angel Investors
Crammed with detailed information designed to simplify the fundamentals of starting and running your own business, Mommy Millionaire is full of proven strategies for success, revealing rare insights and exclusive insider secrets nobody else will tell you about what it really takes to make a million dollars from your own home.
Visit www.mommymillionaire.com or www.greendaisy.com to learn more about Kim and the Green Daisy family of products.
Customer Reviews:
Still reading this one.......2007-10-22
I got this one from the library and couldn't put it down so I brought it, not done yet, but so far I really like this book, really helpful.
Worth the Money.......2007-09-27
I remember 2 Minutes After I bought this book I regretted it, who would spend $24 on a book, about a mompreneur. Afterall I've read many like it and found them all to be elementary. Not this book, I will use this book like my entreprenuer Bible. She discusses so many things that many don't know about. I've bought Entrepreneur's Guide to Starting Your Own Business and I found myself dragging through it, because it was so dull but informative. This woman excites me on my journey, she gives me a flashlight so I can see the many obstacles facing any female entrepreneur. She helps women see that there are people who are out there ready to take advantage of a womans naiveness. Some of the information is basic like the patenting stuff, which I know a great deal about, but much of it is very interesting because she's actually gone through it and can tell you what she was faced with at each level of her business development. It is an inspirational story and a how-to guide wrapped in pink. If she can take an idea like wuvit to the next level and make a million dollars off of something as seeminlgy simple as popcorn wrapped in cotton, then surely I can do the same or better. Don't You Think!!!
Long awaited guide!.......2007-09-13
This is the long awaited guide I've been looking for! Its detailed and tells you exactly where to go to find the answer! The book is humours, amibitious, & motivating!
Has its flaws but good information.......2007-08-20
I'm a little torn on this book. It has its pros and cons.
Pros:
- Good information that can be used if you can digest it in a logical order.
- The author has a good story to tell, but I don't think this book did it justice.
Cons:
- If this book was edited, then the editor should be fired. The organization is horrible. There is no logical order to the way the information is presented and a lot of the information is repeated. It's very dry and I found myself only reading 2 to 3 pages at a time. I do not think this is the author's fault. Her publisher just didn't do a very good job preparing this book for the market. It's like they just tossed her random thoughts into the book without thinking it through first.
- Also, like the reviewer said below, this book is discouraging. Maybe she's trying to show you the reality of bringing your product to market, but her choices weren't always on target. There is a dose of negativity in her book that will probably scare some people away from starting their business. Don't be scared away. I recommend reading "Secrets of Millionaire Moms." I read that at the same time as this book and that book is inspiring and easy to digest.
All in all I think the author has a good story to tell and I am intrigued. She's just not a writer and probably got little help from her publisher. This book is not easy to read; it's almost like reading an IRS booklet. But it does have good info that can be used. Read it with an open mind and try to pass over the discouraging comments.
A riveting story, but actually DISCOURAGED me.......2007-07-16
I always thought the idea of owning a business would be great. I've dabbled on Ebay, with the whole intent being to stay at home and raise my kids while making money on the side. When I saw the title of this book it inspired me....maybe if I read it I could find some inspiration to start a business myself?
While the book itself is a good read (I didn't want to put it down!) I found the author's tenacity a bit scary. The product itself has limited potential....like a previous poster said, it's a fad product. Once everyone owns one, your income potential has pretty much dried up. The author fought really hard to make her business succeed by begging and borrowing, often at great personal risk. She often sacrificed time spent with family in her quest to make her business succeed. This to me represents the biggest conflict in her quest....the title "Mommy Millionaires" implies that this is something a Mommy can do "in her spare time" or when she isn't caring for her children. When in fact after reading this book I am more apt to believe the author traded in her time with her children FOR the business.....she even speaks about missing her children's birthday parties because she was too busy trying to promote her business.
I give this book 2 stars because it is a good read....but it misses its mark as an inspiration for other "mompreneurs". There are plenty of families out there who can successfully manage family and business. Moms shouldn't have to choose!
Book Description
The $20 billion gourmet market is nearly recession-proof. In fact, experts indicate that gourmet products actually do better in uncertain times like these as consumers seek out affordable luxuries. If you plan to open a specialty retail store, or perhaps a small store inside an existing retail space then this book is a must Although gourmet foods command a price double and up to ten times higher than that of grocery store brands, there are those consumers that are content and look to pay a premium price for premium items. This book shows how, with minimal effort and a small investment compared to other food businesses, how you can start your own specialty retail store and be highly profitable!
This is the A-to-Z guide to making it in your own store. Learn the expert tips, tricks, and a vast gold mine of crucial how-to information you just can't find anywhere else. This is a perfect book for entrepreneurs, schools, colleges and technical training centers. This detailed text contains all the information you will ever need to needed to start, operate, and manage a highly profitable specialty store.
While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through finding a location that will bring success, learn how to draw up a winning business plan (The Companion Cd Rom has the actual business plan you can use in MS Word tm.), how to buy and (sell) a store, basic cost control systems, profitable product planning, sample floor plans & diagrams, successful kitchen management, equipment layout and planning, food safety & HACCP, successful food & beverage management, legal concerns, sales and marketing techniques, pricing formulas, learn how to set up computer systems to save time and money, learn how to hire & keep a qualified professional staff, brand new IRS tip reporting requirements, managing and training employees, generate high profile public relations and publicity, learn low cost internal marketing ideas, low and no cost ways to satisfy customers and build sales, learn how to keep bringing customers back, accounting & bookkeeping procedures, auditing, successful budgeting and profit planning development, as well as thousands of great tips and useful guidelines. Never before has so much practical information about the specialty store business been offered in one book.
This is an ideal guide new for comers to the business as well as experienced operators. In addition to basic operational practices this book will demonstrate show how to: increase impulse sales and improve presentation, utilize merchandising fixtures and techniques, cross merchandising, point of purchase materials, how to develop a product sampling program.
Customer Reviews:
The authors are great at introducing the reader to all aspects of starting their own shop.......2006-05-08
"HOW TO OPEN A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL RETAIL & GOURMET FOODS SHOP" by Sharon L. Fullen and Douglas R. Brown.
Starting your own business can be extremely scary, it doesn't matter what type of business it is. If you are interested in starting a specialty foods shop it can be even scarier because of the lack of competent information available. "How to Open a Financially Successful Specialty retail & gourmet foods shop" is one of the most comprehensive books of its kind in the market place.
The authors are great at introducing the reader to all aspects of starting their own shop. The book is written in an easy to understand conversational tone. With sections specifically on goal setting this book is geared toward the new entrepreneur that does not have past business start up experience.
Read this book before going even considering opening a specialty retail or gourmet foods shop. Many aspects of operating a specialty business can be overlooking in the heat of your ambitions. This book will guide you in identifying all the major areas of concern before you put up all your money and invest months of your time.
The book also comes with a CD that contains pre-written documents that will be very useful in starting and operating your business. This book is highly recommended to anyone who wants to know more about the gourmet foods industry and of course to people interested in starting their own specialty foods shop.
Great Book!.......2006-04-19
The book begins with an overview of what a gourmet shop consists of and how much energy is needed in order to successfully run one. This book gives a complete picture of everything that is needed to run a successful gourmet store. It is comprehensive enough for someone who has never opened a business before to easily start a shop.
It goes into great details of the initial costs and strategies that will be needed at start up. There is even a special section on franchising and writing a business plan. Other areas include taxes, laws, licenses, and insurances that will be needed. There are also skillfully crafted chapters which focus two main areas employee relations and customers including marketing and public relations.
There are chapters that center on the equipment that may be needed and the types of product that can be used in the store. A CD-ROM completes the book, with many forms that can help anyone who goes into business. There are even sections that deal with cash flow and financial management as well as purchasing.
This book offers a comprehensive overview on many of how to start a Specialty Retail business and with the step by step process, anyone can be successful.
Good Read.......2006-04-13
"How to Open a Financially Successful Specialty Retail and Gourmet Foods Shop" is a great read for anyone looking to own their own specialty or niche store. From selling only jam to selling complex kitchen gadgets, this book is great for anyone looking to delve into any niche market.
The authors take readers through a number of get ready steps. They include, among other things, picking location, deciding what merchandise to carry, identifying the target audience, writing a business plan, filing the loan application, and getting the necessities (such as company name, licenses, insurance, etc.).
I love that the book details every thing I would need to know about opening a specialty business. It even discusses decorating tips, hiring a staff, marketing the business, and creating a press kit. Because the book covers so much, it tends to cover only the basics of all the topics. It does not go really in-depth on most items, so if you are looking for some exact how-to guide, this book probably is not for you.
The book also comes with a handy cd-rom that provides sample business plans and other worksheets that I found very helpful. You can easily take the business plan and modify it to suit your start-up business. In addition, there are a number of great resources listed within the pages of the book that any new business owner would find beneficial.
User-Friendly, Quality Advice.......2006-04-11
Perhaps the best piece of information in this handy guide by Sharon Fullen and Douglas Brown is
found on the first couple of pages: make sure your heart is in before you take the leap. They offer nuggets of advice to test your mettle; such as coming up with a short "elevator pitch" to capture the essence of your dream and how valuable careful research becomes if you want to discover your true "niche" market. Information on buying a franchise or starting from scratch, financial avenues to consider and a good outline for a business plan quickly follows. Other chapters present the importance of customer service, successful marketing tips and how to deliver a top-notch public relation campaign that attracts repeat business. You will also discover that the basic mechanics of running a business are not ignored; with sections devoted to purchasing, buying appropriate equipment, staffing, finding user-friendly software, monitoring inventory, managing cash flow and creating ambience in the public areas of the shop. The CD-ROM contains much of the same information found in the book, but does included printable business forms for home and office use, a supply list, as well as a more detailed business plan to use as your own template. Overall this book is very user-friendly, offers quality advice and presents up-to-date information. An important resource you will be able to refer to for many years
Great Book for Potential Shop Owners!.......2004-12-04
Excellent book for anyone wanting to start a specialty or gourmet shop. Extremely helpful and well thought out information CD is great addition!"
Amazon.com
You've got a hot idea for a new dot-com, and you're itching to join the folks who regularly show up on CNBC and at the Lexus dealerships in Silicon Valley. But you also know your odds of big-time success are about as long as Bill Gates's position in MSFT. What do you do? John Nesheim, an adjunct professor at Cornell's Johnson Graduate School of Management, who has personally structured over $300 million in new-venture deals, lays out the step-by-step skinny in High Tech Startup. Incorporating some two dozen case studies spanning the technology spectrum, he presents info specific to this industry that will help you get from concept to IPO. It begins with a 14-phase schedule itemizing time requirements, necessary assistance, typical participants, major costs, main risks, and desired results for each step. It then details all the critical stages (i.e., forming the company, preparing the business plan, assembling the team, dealing with venture capitalists and other funding sources). Nesheim focuses on practical strategies that should certainly improve your chances, but don't start prepping for that on-air interview with Mark Haines just yet: Only six out of 1 million high-tech ideas, he notes, ever become successful companies that go public. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
The phenomenal success of the initial public offerings (IPOs) of many new internet companies obscures the fact that fewer than six out of 1 million business plans submitted to venture capital firms will ever reach the IPO stage. Many fail, according to start-up expert John Nesheim, because the entrepreneurs did not have access to the invaluable lessons that come from studying the real-world venture experiences of successful companies. Now they do.
This revised and updated edition of Nesheim's underground Silicon Valley bestseller incorporates twenty-three case studies of successful start-ups, including tables of wealth showing how much money founders and investors realized from each venture. Acclaimed by entrepreneurs the world over, this practical handbook is filled with hard-to-find information and guidance covering every key phase of a start-up, from idea to IPO: how to create a winning business plan, how to value the firm, how venture capitalists work, how they make their money, where to find alternative sources of funding, how to select a good lawyer, and how to protect intellectual property. Nesheim aims to improve the odds of success for first-time high-tech entrepreneurs, and offers an insider's perspective from firsthand experience on one of the toughest challenges they face -- convincing venture capitalists or investment banks to provide financing.
This complete, classic reference tool is essential reading for first-time high-tech entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurs already involved in a start-up who want to increase their chances of success to rise to the top.
Download Description
Make no mistake: even with all their potential for meteoric success, high tech ventures are synonymous with high risk. Fewer than one out of every 47,000 Internet business plans submitted to venture capital firms ever reach the initial public offering (IPO) stage. Many fail because the entrepreneurs did not have access to the invaluable lessons that come from studying the real-world venture experiences of successful companies.
Now they do. The book C-Cube Microsystems President Bill O'Meara calls "a must read for all high tech entrepreneurs" has all the hard-to-find information that start-ups need to rise to the top. High Tech Start Up presents a classic, step-by-step strategy for making a solid plan and securing multi-round financing. Author John Nesheim -- a premier start-up veteran, having single-handedly structured over $300 million in new venture deals -- provides more than twenty-three case studies that reveal how readers can modify their strategies to fit their particular objectives.
Customer Reviews:
Great book for entrepreneurs considering a start-up!.......2007-09-06
Book gives a good overview of the process, timeline, and who is involved. Great insight into what venture capitalists look for, equity ownership and dilution, and how to select key advisors (i.e., attorney, banker) on the start-up team. It is an eye-opener to help you know what to expect in terms of how long it will take to get established and the likelihood of being bought out or reaching IPO. Definitely recommend.
A course on entrepreneurship .......2007-05-15
The book is slightly dated and was published at the height of the tech bubble, but don't let that detract you from picking it up - `High Tech Startup' has volumes of invaluable advice. John Nesheim covers the entire lifespan of a startup: from finding an attorney to start the company, to picking an investment banker to do an IPO. Of course, the scope of the work also limits the amount of information, but it gives you enough to find what you're missing and to continue your research. The case studies and suggestions from seasoned CEO's were especially useful - experience is cheapest second hand, and there is plenty of it in this book. `High Tech Startup' is a business course I should have taken years ago (and most school don't offer), highly recommended.
Full of information.......2007-03-23
I enjoyed this book, in face I have taken a lot of the information and put it into our business plan for a new start up. Though the information is dated it still holds... At the end of the day, business is business.
We are using it as our bible, and I will come back in a few months and tell you how our efforts go.
JB Glossinger
Get Out of Neutral: Manifest the Life Experience You Desire
O verwhelming Info.......2007-01-13
The book is so informative, it so hard to stop reading when the book is fun and full of ah ha and hmm. The author give a precise info on how the start-up company can obtain VC funding. Most of the reviewer are right about their comment on this book, it should be the bible of start-up company.
Start Up Business Bible.......2006-01-30
I lead the technology center for an up and coming online payment services company. To say that High Tech Start Up has been very helpful in our growth is truly an understatement. My boss lugs around his copy of the book and constantly quotes from it, calling it his bible. The book has guided him in positioning the company in the market accordingly and has helped him in making informed decisions. I would recommend the book to anyone wanting to carve a niche in the high tech industry.
Book Description
Jane Hilburt-Davis and W. Gibb Dyer— two of the country's foremost experts in the field of family business— offer in one comprehensive volume a systematic approach for developing the skills and competencies you need to consult with these unique systems. This practical, hands-on resource shows you how to manage each stage of the consulting process— from the first contact to the last— and reveals how to plan strategically and deal with the complex relationship issues that are commonplace in family businesses.
Customer Reviews:
Great Guide for Family Business Professionals.......2003-12-11
Dyer and Hilburt-Davis offer outstanding strategies and recommendations from their vast experience and intimate knowledge working with family businesses. This book is an excellent resource for all professionals who advise family businesses.
A must-read!.......2003-11-10
Consulting to Family Businesses is a MUST-READ for anyone who works with family-owned businesses. The book's format makes it easy to read and to find needed information. Its content, which is nut-and-bolts practical, will benefit both experienced hands as well as "newbies."
This is an extraordinary resource for family business owners.......2003-07-23
Jane Hilburt-Davis and Gibb Dyer have made a significant contribution to the emerging field of family business consultation. They deliver good practical advice along with thoughtful insight about the pushes and pulls that families feel as their companies grow and thrive. In the short time I've owned this book I've had to move it closer and closer to the "most used" section on my book shelf. Clearly these authors do hands-on consultation everyday, know what they're doing, but have also thought about how to share their ideas with family business owners and other consultants. 'Very readable. It's just a great resource.
A Must for Family Business Consultants.......2002-10-15
This book is a true gift for those who are entering the field of advising to family businesses or those who have been at it for years. It is comprehensive and thoughtful, a true benchmark for the subject of the consulting process with family owned busineses.
Amazon.com
As proposed by Kiyoshi Suzaki, a "mini-company" is a new kind of internal structure within a larger business, managed like an individual but interconnected corporation and designed for both personal and organizational advancement. Suzaki, a worldwide manufacturing consultant and author of several previous books, fully defines the concept in Results from the Heart and shows how it can have positive impacts on employees and ultimately contribute to their success and their company's. The purpose, as he sees it, is to "go beyond just doing our work routinely. We need a fresh and lively new paradigm to continuously find purpose in what we do." This is achieved with his model, Suzaki argues, because it allows workers on all levels to make meaningful contributions in the areas over which they have responsibility. He explains how those in any department can create and operate one of these entities, from developing its mission and orchestrating its implementation to summarizing its progress and acknowledging its contributions. The idea may not appeal to everyone, but Suzaki contends it has already proven effective and he provides enough detail here for anyone interested in giving it a try. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
Results from the Heart introduces a new and helpful approach to improving job performance, improving job satisfaction, and helping organizations better respond to the rapid changes that are an inherent part of today's business environment. Mr. Suzaki recognizes that a motivated and engaged workforce should be part of any strategy to obtain and maintain competitive advantage.
--Carl Stern, CEO,
The Boston Consulting Group
Since the publication of Frederick Taylor's The Principles of Scientific Management, managers have relied on logic to compel action. Now Kiyoshi Suzaki, one of the world's leading experts on enlarging the talents, self-esteem, and growth of the individual employee, argues that logic alone cannot move people to act. Productivity problems are inextricably linked to self-esteem, he argues, and worst of all to a prodigious waste of individual talent. But each solution is personal, Suzaki concludes, and found only within ourselves.
"To find meaning and purpose at work we must use our brain," Suzaki says, "but listen to our heart." In Zenlike fashion he proposes that each of us ask ourselves a series of questions to determine the degree to which our brain is engaged with our heart. The framework around which this selfquestioning takes place is a groundbreaking concept that Suzaki calls "the mini-company." The author demonstrates how, within the larger workplace, each job is endowed with an almost spiritual meaning when each person -- at every level -- becomes president of his or her own area of responsibility. With simple diagrams, Suzaki shows how your boss becomes your banker or venture capitalist and your peers become your immediate suppliers or customers. The results are nothing short of astonishing. In Results from the Heart, Suzaki describes thousands of mini-companies he has "founded" during his worldwide consulting assignments. In most cases in which unhappy employees had previously "followed instructions like robots," there have been spectacular increases in both morale and productivity. If it is true that work is a journey, this manifesto for a more humane definition of the way we work is the roadmap.
Customer Reviews:
Total Productive Maintenance Small Groups Taken to the Next Level.......2007-05-21
I was exposed to Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) throughout the late nineties, therefore the concept of small groups (inherent to the way TPM works) was familiar to me. In "Results from the Heart", Kiyoshi Suzaki, an author of many titles on the famous Japanese manufacturing framework, introduces the concept of Mini-Companies as an extension of the concept of Small Groups.
The tools and components he presents for the internal functioning of Mini-Companies and their interaction with other Mini-Companies across the organization give new life to the concept. This is the true value of the book.
As for the connection of the TPM concepts to finding meaning and purpose at work, the book seems a bit of a stretch, barely touching on the topic. If you really want to read about this, I recommend you try Z.B.A.: Zen of Business Administration - How Zen Practice Can Transform Your Work And Your Life.
Dalai Lama's foreword .......2004-10-24
Taken from the Dalai Lama's foreword:
"I believe we have both the ability and the means to solve our problems and improve our world. Perhaps, the most important factors that inhibit us are short-sightedness, narrow-mindedness, and selfishness. Yet, to look after yourself is not wrong. Without a strong sense of self, we cannot develop self-confidence, determination, and will power.
But we must be careful, for there is also a narrow minded selfishness that can lead to self-destruction. To counter that we have to realize that in reality our own interest is closely linked to the interests of others and the benefit, happiness, and interests of others are our own."
The idea of mini-company is as simple as that! But there may be a deep gap between spirituality and business... I wonder.
Book Description
An updated picture of the trials and triumphs of today's entrepreneur increase the company's bottom line.
Starting a business involves inevitable ups and downs, for first-time as well as experienced entrepreneurs. This updated, expanded edition by Jan Norman, one of the nation's foremost small business authorities, guides readers through every stage of business start-up, from planning to marketing.
What No One Ever Tells You about Starting Your Own Business is designed for people who are launching a business, whether they be first-time entrepreneurs or people who have been tripped up by the start-up process before and want to do it right this time. Using the real-life experiences of 101 successful business owners, Norman combines practical, straightforward how-to advice with interesting and memorable narratives. The updated second edition includes:
* Thirty new start-up stories from successful entrepreneurs.
* All-new advice about how to make maximum use of the Internet.
* An expanded resources section with helpful information about start-up assistance.
* Detailed how-to tips about writing business plans, selecting the right business, what financial records to keep, and more.
The eye-opening lessons from successful business owners who learned the hard way are akin to hiring a personal entrepreneurial coach to point out potential roadblocks in advance.
Customer Reviews:
Good General Business Info.......2007-10-17
Mostly good stories of what a new business owner did that they needed to change to make their business work better. I think of this book as ideas to keep in mind when your new at this business world and too busy to think of everything you could do to improve your situation and increase profits. Good general info.
A Good Book if You are a Budding Teenage Entrepreneur.......2006-06-30
Among the numerous books for starting your own business out in the marketplace, this one is pretty good for the right audience; that is, those who do not know the first thing about starting a business. While there is certainly a need for such books, I did not find it useful for me though. This book might make it onto the reading list for a high school business class, but beyond that I cannot see much value. But still, there are worse introductory books for entrepreneurs than this one. I'm still trying to find one that really delivers.
Not a Critical Read .......2006-05-07
This book is entertaining only because it shows different viewpoints. But you won't really learn anything from the book, in terms of real entrepreneurial skills or knowledge. I would say it might be a book to read if you were going to buy 20 others but it certainly is by no means a critical read. It's more like something you would read wihile on a plane.
"The Startup Company Bible for Entrepreneurs" (Stathis) is the best book I have found on the topic. If you want to know absolutely everything about the venture capital industry and how to develo the skills and knowledge that successful high-tech entrepreneurs need, get The Startup Company Bible.
A very interesting book.......2006-04-29
When I bought this book I expected to be told a lot and in essence I have but I feel that there is more that the author could have said.
On the whole, I like the book. But I'd also like to recommend that readers pick up a copy of Untapped Wealth Discovered written by Jeff N Marquis and Kerry J Harrison.
This book is refreshing with fresh ideas and two fresh faced authors. It's amust read especially for women.
Inspirational Secondary Reading For Those Thinking About Or Planning To Start A Business Venture.......2005-12-14
You should definitely go to the largest public library in your area and review the numerous business startup books that are available. If you feel a particular book is worth re-reading or to keep as a future reference, you should buy the latest edition of such a book. (Use the book's ISBN number to search online for the newest edition that is currently available.)
What you will get from this book:
This book will offer you inspirational stories divided into appropriate sections such as planning, funding, marketing and advertising. These are short stories of successful business owners interviewed or researched by the author, which consists of either: what the owners did right, what the owners did wrong, the challenges they had faced, and examples of how they would of had done something differently if given the chance to.
What you will not get from this book:
If you feel that, by reading stories of successful people will kick-start your creative engine, then spend the small amount that it costs to own this book. However, if you want information for "detailed" instructions on how to acquire loans and fundings, then this book will not help you.
With the handful of business startup books that I had borrowed and purchased, most of them do not offer any more information other than the basic explaination of places to request loans from. (Examples of funding resources are the SBA-Small Business Administration, Banks, Angel Investors, and Venture Capital Firms)
I recommend borrowing a copy of SBA Loans: A Step-By-Step Guide. - By Patrick D. O'Hara
ISBN # 0-471-23347-1
Books:
- Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days
- Fumbling the Future: How Xerox Invented Then Ignored the First Personal Computer
- Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in Your Workplace
- Gerry Frank's Where to Find It, Buy It, Eat It in New York (Gerry Frank's Where to Find It, Buy It, Eat It in New York (Regular Edition))
- Grant Writing For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))
- Histology for Pathologists
- How to Buy, Sell, and Profit on eBay: Kick-Start Your Home-Based Business in Just Thirty Days
- How To Make Your Business Run Without You
- How To Start And Run Your Own Corporation: S-Corporations For Small Business Owners
- HPI Essentials
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening and Sustaining O
- History: Fiction or Science
- Accountant's factomatic
- Cry Havoc!: The Crooked Road to Civil War, 1861
- Essentials of Health Care Finance, Fifth Edition
- Now I'm Reading: On the Go!-Level 3 New Sounds and Blends
- History: Fiction or Science
- TurboTax Deluxe The Official Guide: For Tax Year 2000
- Capitalism, Culture and Decline in Britain: 1750-1990
- Cherokee Plants: Their Uses-- A 400 Year History
