Guy Kawasaki's The Art of the Start is an indispensable guide for anyone looking to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality." Do it, if nothing else, to accelerate things: to entry in a new area, to development the provice faster/better, to reduce costs or to open up new distribution channels. Additionally, the process of reviewing all that you need for a good plan will show you gaps in your thinking. For instance, you might have nobody on your team preparing for customer service.

The chapter ends with an interesting mini-chapter on networking. An interesting definition given was that networking is discovering what you can do for someone else. To network:The Art of the Start offers invaluable advice on how to develop a strong brand identity and effective marketing strategies." A new product, a new service, a new company, a new division, a new organization, a new anything—where there’s a will, here’s the way. It begins with a dream that just won’t quit, the once-in-a-lifetime thunderbolt of pure inspiration, the obsession, the world-beater, the killer app, the next big thing. Everyone who wants to make the world a better place becomes possessed by a grand idea. To make your startup last don’t depend on the people at the top. They have their own agenda – such as power, money and self-image” I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1954. My family lived in a tough part of Honolulu called Kalihi Valley. We weren’t rich, but I never felt poor-because my mother and father made many sacrifices for my sister and me. My mother was a housewife, and my father was a fireman, real estate broker, state senator, and government official during his long, distinguished career.

Finally there’s a mini-chapter about how to manage a board and a very interesting FAQ about the mindset of investors (as one himself, this FAQ is one of the most comprehensive in the book). Have a purpose besides making money, fame or power. We ought to create something that makes the world a better place to live, be it by preventing good things to end, by righting a wrong or by improving quality of life. Instead of market research, build a prototype and poll customers’ reactions. If your organization never existed, the world would be worse off because [your answer here]. Have a mantra Lower the barriers to adoption (simple to use); recruit evangelists (people that believe in the company’s mission). Many don’t want to be payed because they do it for the purpose of improving the world; Create and foster a community; Be humane and don’t be afraid of making a fool of yourself, feature your customers and help the underprivileged; Finally the author gives out a mini-chapter on out to speak at presentations and another on how to design a t-shirt to promote your company. Chapter 10: The Art of Rainmaking On your way to successfully start a startup business, ask yourself if you have at least 2 of the 3 main ingredients to achieve your goals: expertise, passion, and opportunities.

The Art of the Start Summary

The Art of the Start is a must-read for any aspiring entrepreneur, offering sage wisdom on how to secure funding and manage resources." And be well prepared to manage even bad situations. After all ‘’Great entrepreneurs survive when things go wrong‘’. When talking to investors, other entrepreneurs and professors, ask them to recommend people of the same kind (other investors, entrepreneurs and professors).

The Art of the Start provides an insightful and practical framework for crafting a winning business plan." This happens because when your primary focus is money, the main motivation is greed. That attracts dishonest people that make your customers feel uncomfortable, just like the guys with sports cars. Invest time in important things like improving and selling your provice, don’t waste much time on unimportant stuff like furniture and office supplies;To succeed at bootstrapping, you need to focus primarily on generating cash flow, or getting money into your bank account. After all, you need it to pay your bills, rent, salaries, and so forth. This means, e.g., that you may need to pass profitable sales that take too long to cash in. Under-staff and outsource (this is because if you over-staff several bigger problems arise, namely concerned with the need to laying off people); Execute — this is the last bullet point, that i found to be one of the most important, so i decided to separate it from the others. It means actually doing stuff, for which it’s necessary to:

After Stanford, I attended the law school at U.C. Davis because, like all Asian-American parents, my folks wanted me to be a “doctor, lawyer, or dentist.” I only lasted one week because I couldn’t deal with the law school teachers telling me that I was crap and that they were going to remake me.

Retailers:

I can see those who are used to business theory and academics liking this book, as they may feel this presents hands-on practical business instructions when they haven't been in such a setting for some time. But it simply isn't practical. Focus more on the “show” that you are presenting, and do not waste time on reading some boring slides.