Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture by Learning Ventures Press

	Title: Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture Purchase Item Manufacturer: Learning Ventures Press List Price: $15.95 Our Price: $9.63
Customer Reviews:
Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture by Learning Ventures Press Too High-Level, Not Enough Specifics
This book is a very high level overview, and mostly a biographical narrative. There are a few useful suggestions, especially regarding selection of attorney and accountant, but the rest is of little value. The discussion of cash flow is so basic as to be nearly useless; the discussion of management process is nearly embarrassing. I realize this book is not meant to be an in-depth work, but it is so light in content that it doesn't count as an overview.
Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture by Learning Ventures Press Great, fun, easy read, but...
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.
Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture by Learning Ventures Press Very good, but needs more depth
The Entrepreneur's Notebook by Gold offer an enthusing reading for anyone interested in knowing the fundementals of starting a new business venture with the least amount of mistakes. This is why I liked this book: 1. Uses real life examples from the author's own experience to explain entrepreneurship and the mistakes not to make when starting a new business. 2. Uses very simple analogies (I love the chapter on cash flow). 3. Very easy to follow and explains the different entrepreneurial personalities in great detail. I did not like this book for the following reasons: 1. This book is not universal and most of the chapters apply to entrepreneurship in the US only. Although the first chapters are applicable to any entrepreneur, the ending chapters are rigid and US specific. Final Verdict: Still a valuable buy but more applicable to US entrepreneurs rather than Entrepreneurship in general.
Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture by Learning Ventures Press Practical, Hands-On Guide for Novice--or Seasoned--Entrepreneurs
Gold goes far beyond the typical "here's the difference between a C Corporation and an LLC" to explain not only the nuts-and-bolts of finding business partners, forming a company, marketing your products/services, and writing a business plan, but also--and perhaps even more importantly--how to think about being an entrepreneur and how to make the critical decisions that can make or break any new venture in its early stages. And he does this not only from the point of view of someone who has studied and taught business (although he does fit the bill on both of these fronts), but as someone who has successfully started and run several businesses. For example, he not only points out the need to put together a team, but explains how to recognize your own strengths and weaknesses and how to identify complementary team members who are most likely to work together as a cohesive unit. He not only explains the importance of finding the right corporate lawyer for your company, he also provides concrete--and nonintuitive--advice for how to avoid picking the wrong one. He doesn't merely repeat the mantras of "find your niche" and "focus on your core competency," he explains how to translate your "big idea" into a finely-honed business plan based on analysis of both your company's strengths and weaknesses and the market in which it will operate. I highly recommend this book to anyone thinking about starting a business who wants to avoid common pitfalls and start off on the right foot with the "entrepreneur's mindset" and plenty of concrete strategies for success.
Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture by Learning Ventures Press Nice Guide for Beginners
The author writes a nice overview of the entrepreneurial process. It's basically for novices but it does a good job for this audience. The only problem I have with this book is that it is too basic and is therefore non-unique because it is so low-level. Regardless, I must say that for the right audience, it does a fine job over giving the big picture. If you are advanced or aspire to become advanced, I would recommend "The Startup Company Bible for Entrepreneurs" but only for high-tech entrepreneurs. Even this author has recommended it.
Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture by Learning Ventures Press 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 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.