Start Small, Stay Small PDF Download

Author: Rob Walling
Publisher: The Numa Group LLC
ISBN: 0615373968
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 215

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Book Description
Start Small, Stay Small is a step-by-step guide to launching a self-funded startup. If you're a desktop, mobile or web developer, this book is your blueprint to getting your startup off the ground with no outside investment.This book intentionally avoids topics restricted to venture-backed startups such as: honing your investment pitch, securing funding, and figuring out how to use the piles of cash investors keep placing in your lap.This book assumes: You don't have $6M of investor funds sitting in your bank account You're not going to relocate to the handful of startup hubs in the world You're not going to work 70 hour weeks for low pay with the hope of someday making millions from stock options There's nothing wrong with pursuing venture funding and attempting to grow fast like Amazon, Google, Twitter, and Facebook. It just so happened that most people are not in a place to do this.Start Small, Stay Small also focuses on the single most important element of a startup that most developers avoid: marketing. There are many great resources for learning how to write code, organize source control, or connect to a database. This book does not cover the technical aspects developers already know or can learn elsewhere. It focuses on finding your idea, testing it before you build, and getting it into the hands of your customers.

Author: Tom Eisenmann
Publisher: Currency
ISBN: 0593137027
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 370

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Book Description
If you want your startup to succeed, you need to understand why startups fail. “Whether you’re a first-time founder or looking to bring innovation into a corporate environment, Why Startups Fail is essential reading.”—Eric Ries, founder and CEO, LTSE, and New York Times bestselling author of The Lean Startup and The Startup Way Why do startups fail? That question caught Harvard Business School professor Tom Eisenmann by surprise when he realized he couldn’t answer it. So he launched a multiyear research project to find out. In Why Startups Fail, Eisenmann reveals his findings: six distinct patterns that account for the vast majority of startup failures. • Bad Bedfellows. Startup success is thought to rest largely on the founder’s talents and instincts. But the wrong team, investors, or partners can sink a venture just as quickly. • False Starts. In following the oft-cited advice to “fail fast” and to “launch before you’re ready,” founders risk wasting time and capital on the wrong solutions. • False Promises. Success with early adopters can be misleading and give founders unwarranted confidence to expand. • Speed Traps. Despite the pressure to “get big fast,” hypergrowth can spell disaster for even the most promising ventures. • Help Wanted. Rapidly scaling startups need lots of capital and talent, but they can make mistakes that leave them suddenly in short supply of both. • Cascading Miracles. Silicon Valley exhorts entrepreneurs to dream big. But the bigger the vision, the more things that can go wrong. Drawing on fascinating stories of ventures that failed to fulfill their early promise—from a home-furnishings retailer to a concierge dog-walking service, from a dating app to the inventor of a sophisticated social robot, from a fashion brand to a startup deploying a vast network of charging stations for electric vehicles—Eisenmann offers frameworks for detecting when a venture is vulnerable to these patterns, along with a wealth of strategies and tactics for avoiding them. A must-read for founders at any stage of their entrepreneurial journey, Why Startups Fail is not merely a guide to preventing failure but also a roadmap charting the path to startup success.

Author: Brad Feld
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119613620
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 368

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Book Description
The Way Forward for Entrepreneurship Around the World We are in the midst of a startup revolution. The growth and proliferation of innovation-driven startup activity is profound, unprecedented, and global in scope. Today, it is understood that communities of support and knowledge-sharing go along with other resources. The importance of collaboration and a long-term commitment has gained wider acceptance. These principles are adopted in many startup communities throughout the world. And yet, much more work is needed. Startup activity is highly concentrated in large cities. Governments and other actors such as large corporations and universities are not collaborating with each other nor with entrepreneurs as well as they could. Too often, these actors try to control activity or impose their view from the top-down, rather than supporting an environment that is led from the bottom-up. We continue to see a disconnect between an entrepreneurial mindset and that of many actors who wish to engage with and support entrepreneurship. There are structural reasons for this, but we can overcome many of these obstacles with appropriate focus and sustained practice. No one tells this story better than Brad Feld and Ian Hathaway. The Startup Community Way: Evolving an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem explores what makes startup communities thrive and how to improve collaboration in these rapidly evolving, complex environments. The Startup Community Way is an explanatory guide for startup communities. Rooted in the theory of complex systems, this book establishes the systemic properties of entrepreneurial ecosystems and explains why their complex nature leads people to make predictable mistakes. As complex systems, value creation occurs in startup communities primarily through the interaction of the "parts" - the people, organizations, resources, and conditions involved - not the parts themselves. This continual process of bottom-up interactions unfolds naturally, producing value in novel and unexpected ways. Through these complex, emergent processes, the whole becomes greater and substantially different than what the parts alone could produce. Because of this, participants must take a fundamentally different approach than is common in much of our civic and professional lives. Participants must take a whole-system view, rather than simply trying to optimize their individual part. They must prioritize experimentation and learning over planning and execution. Complex systems are uncertain and unpredictable. They cannot be controlled, only guided and influenced. Each startup community is unique. Replication is enticing but impossible. The race to become "The Next Silicon Valley" is futile - even Silicon Valley couldn't recreate itself. This book: Offers practical advice for entrepreneurs, community builders, government officials, and other stakeholders who want to harness the power of entrepreneurship in their city Describes the core components of startup communities and entrepreneurial ecosystems, as well as an explanation of the differences between these two related, but distinct concepts Advances a new framework for effective startup community building based on the theory of complex systems and insights from systems thinking Includes contributions from leading entrepreneurial voices Is a must-have resource for entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, executives, business and community leaders, economic development authorities, policymakers, university officials, and anyone wishing to understand how startup communities work anywhere in the world

Author: Steven K. Gold
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781480080041
Category : Entrepreneurship
Languages : en
Pages : 232

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Book 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 who has co-founded and led five early-stage ventures. As an investor and mentor, he also advises many entrepreneurs and young companies. He earned his B.S.E. in Entrepreneurial Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and his M.D. from Brown University Medical School.

Author: Teresa Torres
Publisher: Product Talk LLC
ISBN: 1736633317
Category : Design
Languages : en
Pages : 201

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Book Description
"If you haven't had the good fortune to be coached by a strong leader or product coach, this book can help fill that gap and set you on the path to success." - Marty Cagan How do you know that you are making a product or service that your customers want? How do you ensure that you are improving it over time? How do you guarantee that your team is creating value for your customers in a way that creates value for your business? In this book, you'll learn a structured and sustainable approach to continuous discovery that will help you answer each of these questions, giving you the confidence to act while also preparing you to be wrong. You'll learn to balance action with doubt so that you can get started without being blindsided by what you don't get right. If you want to discover products that customers love-that also deliver business results-this book is for you.

Author: Steven S. Hoffman
Publisher: HarperCollins Leadership
ISBN: 1400223210
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 336

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Book Description
Steve Hoffman, CEO of Founders Space, prepares entrepreneurs to avoid mistakes, overcome obstacles, and master the skills necessary to make the right choices along their path to success. The fact is, over 90 percent of all new startups fail. Every entrepreneur must face this harsh reality and learn to master it if they hope to survive and wind up on top. In Surviving a Startup, Hoffman brings readers on a wild ride, sharing with them the tumultuous journey of launching a venture-funded startup and revealing what it takes to make it. In this one-of-a-kind guide, you will learn: A deep analysis and insights into the major challenges every entrepreneur faces when launching a business. How to make the best possible decisions and deal with crisis situations. Strategies for raising capital and growing a business, even when it seems impossible. Secrets on how to manage difficult employees, demonstrate leadership, and overcome disasters. Essential traits that enable startup founders to survive and succeed. The best way to develop innovative products, conduct guerilla marketing campaigns, obtain PR, and outmaneuver competitors. How to recruit the best talent, manage highly efficient teams, and motivate employees, even with little to no money. The steps necessary to transform an idea into a robust, rapidly growing business. As the captain of one of the world's leading startup incubators and accelerators, Steve knows what it's like to be on the front lines, how tough it can get when the battle turns against the entrepreneur, and what it takes to taste victory and overcome seemingly impossible odds. Surviving a Startup is a must read for entrepreneurs considering taking the best first steps for a new venture.

Author: Gino Wickman
Publisher: BenBella Books
ISBN: 194883684X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 150

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Book Description
You've thought about starting your own business . . . but how can you decide if you should really take the leap? There's a lot on the line, and you have to ask yourself difficult questions: Do I have what it takes? Is it worth it? And how the hell do I do it? You need answers, not bullshit. This book has them. Entrepreneurial Leap: Do You Have What it Takes to Become an Entrepreneur? is an easy-to-use guide that will help you decide, once and for all, if entrepreneurship is right for you—because success as an entrepreneur depends on far more than just a great idea and a generous helping of luck. In this three-part book, Gino Wickman, bestselling author of Traction, reveals the six essential traits that every entrepreneur needs in order to succeed, based on real-world startups that have reached incredible heights. If these traits ring true for you, you'll get a glimpse of what your life would look like as an entrepreneur. What's more, Wickman will help you determine what type of business best suits your unique skill set and provide a detailed roadmap, with tools, tips, and exercises, that will accelerate your path to startup success. Packed with real-life stories and practical advice, Entrepreneurial Leap is a simple how-to manual for BIG results. Should you take the leap toward entrepreneurship? Find out today and let tomorrow be the first step in your new journey, whatever shape it may take.

Author: Robert Walsh
Publisher: Apress
ISBN: 1430219866
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 430

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Book Description
If there's a software startup company in your developer heart, this is the book that will make it happen. The Web Startup Success Guide is your one-stop shop for all of the answers you need today to build a successful web startup in these challenging economic times. It covers everything from making the strategic platform decisions as to what kind of software to build, to understanding and winning the Angel and venture capital funding game, to the modern tools, apps and services that can cut months off development and marketing cycles, to how startups today are using social networks like Twitter and Facebook to create real excitement and connect to real customers. Bob Walsh, author of the landmark Micro-ISV: From Vision to Reality, digs deep into the definition, financing, community–building, platform options, and productivity challenges of building a successful and profitable web application today.

Author: David J. Muchow
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1510770658
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 271

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Book Description
Finally, a new kind of business startup book—packed full of practical advice plus essential legal information you really need but don’t get in business school or anywhere else! The 7 Secret Keys to Startup Success is the one book every entrepreneur should have. David J. Muchow, an award-winning, thirty-year serial entrepreneur and lawyer, gives you practical legal and business advice covering every aspect of entrepreneurship—and it’s fun to read! It includes all the basics of building and growing a business—management, fundraising, marketing, intellectual property, and risk management—plus much more, like how to avoid the hidden mistakes that cause “Startup Suicide” and kill 80 percent of startups in the first year. There are also model legal forms and charts along with fun-to-read stories and examples. Muchow, who teaches law, business, and entrepreneurship at Georgetown University, has advised hundreds of businesses on how to succeed. The book reveals key mistakes that can kill businesses. For example, blogging about your new products can prevent getting a patent. And giving away too much equity and picking the wrong partners can be fatal. At the macro level, the book describes why the US should create a National Ecosystem to Support Startups (NESS) to increase our competitiveness, which could take startups from a concept to commercialization in just ninety days and speed up the patent process. This unique guide, which focuses on both the business and legal aspects of startups, is a must-have for every aspiring entrepreneur, small business owner, startup incubator, student, and for business and law schools. In The7 Secret Keys to Startup Success, you will learn: How to cut legal expenses and manage lawyers How to fire employees and partners without getting sued Patent, trademark and copyright strategies and tricks How to raise money without SEC problems How to avoid the financial “Valley of Death” What “to do” but also “what not to do" to avoid “startup suicide.” Business books can be fun! Enjoy the many business stories, such as how Ivanka Trump was sued for trademark infringement over her Hettie Sandal design and Oprah Winfrey’s battle to protect her intellectual property for O Magazine. At the end of each chapter are examples, inspired by Muchow’s years as a foreign agent and federal prosecutor, which demonstrate the principles in that chapter. They’re told by Professor Scooter Magee, the Startup Expert, as he helps startups prevent Startup Suicide and achieve success while fighting the CIA and others. Think Professor Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark meets Bar Rescue or Silicon Valley! Enjoy Scooter’s adventures while learning the critical real-life startup legal and business lessons that can help you be successful. In short, The 7 Secret Keys to Startup Success is a new kind of startup book—it’s like having both an expert attorney and a consultant by your side every step of the way on your startup’s journey to success—while enjoying the ride!

Author: Eric W Liguori
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780997419801
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 262

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Book Description
The Startup Student is a practical and tactical guide to help students make the most of their college entrepreneurship experience. With over 20 leading thoughts leaders contributing, the book's content is fresh, easy to read, and applicable to any student interested in entrepreneurship. Divided into three separate yet related parts, it is designed to be a resource, a tool, a reference guide, and a source of wisdom for all those brave student souls willing to put their ideas into action in entrepreneurship classrooms around the world. Part 1, Succeeding as an Entrepreneurship Student, offers students advice on how to successfully navigate an entrepreneurship program, touching on topics such as acquiring startup internships, dealing with faculty, avoiding common idea generation pitfalls, and getting the most out of one's entrepreneurship education. Part 2, Bolstering Your Entrepreneurial Mindset, discusses key psychological factors needed for entrepreneurial success. Meanwhile, Part 3, Succeeding as a Student Entrepreneur, draws upon the advice of a variety of experienced entrepreneurs and new venture experts to give students the tips they need to launch a startup while still in school. The Startup Student has been called "a bible for student entrepreneurs" by serial entreprenuer and New York Times best selling author Steve Kaplan. Student entrepreneur Connor Alstrom hails it as "the best resource I have seen for future or current college entrepreneurs."