Product Description
Entrepreneur’s Notebook propels you on a whirlwind tour of the start-up process. It is an invaluable reference for new and experienced entrepreneurs that includes chapters on a wide range of topics, from entrepreneurial team building to business plans to financing. This excellent book provides an incredible amount of practical information that will help you make smarter decisions and avoid costly mistakes. The author, Steven K. Gold, is an accomplished entrepreneur … More >>
Entrepreneur’s Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture
Tags: Advice, Business, business plans, business venture, costly mistakes, decisions, entrepreneur, Entrepreneur's, entrepreneurial team, invaluable reference, Notebook, Practical, Starting, starting a new business, Venture, whirlwind tour
Every budding entrepreneur should know and implement strategies and concepts found in this book. As a second opinion on the same brand of practical advice found in my own book, “The Expert’s Edge,” this book offers a terrific launching pad. Get it, read it, study it… do it!
Rating: 3 / 5
Most of the reviews are written by this guy’s friends. I read the book…if you can tolerate the first 3 pages, then by it. It is free to skim through the pages you know.
This author’s style of writing is not even fit for a high school level. The book lacks real direction, substance, and I want my money back.
Rating: 1 / 5
This book is a great overview for someone just beginning to think about starting a business venture, but it seemed to be more focused towards the needs of a large venture, rather than a small business. It covered a lot that I thought would not be applicable to the type of business I want to start — a small town retail shop where I plan to run the business myself and will not hire executives or get funding from investors (other than probably a local bank or the SBA). Perhaps this just shows my ignorance of what owning a small business is about, though!
I also have to express my disagreement with his comments regarding attorneys. (Disclosure: I am currently an associate at a big law firm.) It sounds like he happened to get some bad attorneys. For what it’s worth, my thoughts, based on my own observations of attorneys at large and small firms (my own firms and opposing firms), are this: (1) I don’t think his experiences reflect the services provided by all large law firms — I think the quality of services you get depends on whether you hire a good INDIVIDUAL attorney, not law firm, (2) you are much more likely to have someone “learn on your dime” at a small firm than a large one simply because attorneys at large firms do a lot more business and specialize in certain areas and therefore become more experienced with matters that arise in those areas, (3) most small firm attorneys will NOT be as great as the ones he found, and (4) most partners are so distracted by bringing in business and a million other things that associates are much more likely to focus on your deal, keep things moving quickly, and actually pay attention to the details. I think the ideal arrangement for a small business owner is to find a good associate who has a good partner to ask for guidance on big issues when needed. I just don’t think it’s fair to generalize that all big firm attorneys are terrible and negligent with small clients, or that associates are all clueless and learning on your dime. (I can provide proof in the form of reviews from my large and small business clients!) That all being said, there are some fantastic attorneys at small shops and if you find one, you will pay much less for their services. My best advice on finding a good attorney (whether at a large firm or a small firm) is to get referrals from other business owners.
Rating: 4 / 5
I really enjoyed this little gem of a book. It offers ten simple lessons and is easy to read. I thought that the author’s advice is practical, which appears to be one of the benefits of this book versus so many others.
Rating: 5 / 5
In one vivid parable–the “Story of Stone Soup”–Dr. Gold reveals what is at the heart of the entrepreneurial process. In nine additional chapters, he clearly demonstrates how, step-by-step, the reader can start his or her own business venture. Dr. Gold’s lucid writing style and easy layout help to remove the veil of mystery surrounding the start-up process while imparting to the reader a feeling of, “Hey, I really can do this!”
Rating: 5 / 5