Entrepreneur Journeys

by Sramana Mitra

Book Overview

Renowned entrepreneur and Forbes columnist Sramana Mitra provides innovators with strategic options in Innovation: Need Of the Hour. In the fourth volume of the acclaimed Entrepreneur Journeys series,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1439206872
• ISBN13: 9781439206874
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: Booksurge Publishing
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Wanna change your life?

Entrepreneur Journeys Volume 1 An inspirational book. Makes perfect reading for those Season's days when you calm down a bit, take some distance from everyday stress, and begin to ask yourself curious questions. Am I doing the right thing with my life? Am I fulfilled, am I truly creating value? Sramana Mitra invites us on twelve journeys, twelve marvelously narrated, concrete entrepreneurial experiences. There's basically two ways one becomes an entrepreneur: "by constraint" (no money, no job, no education, no legitimacy but a need to survive) or "by choice" (good education, good job, but a need for freedom and/or sense-making). This book clearly addresses the latter category. The twelve compelling profiles Sramana shares with us are essentially well-educated individuals, mostly installed in flawless successful career paths (secure and well-paying corporate jobs) and who ditch it all to become entrepreneurs. And Sramana Mitra knows what she's talking about, she could all by herself be one or several of these examples she brings to us: she is a highly educated individual, a serial entrepreneur for over 15 years, and a Forbes columnist. Her stories are diverse and universal, five are US-based, four from India, two European and one Latin American. Business models vary from social communities, to Ebay-type models, to e-advertising, to software services and all types of technologies such as sophisticated search engines, fibre optics, solar energy etc. So yes, this is not a book for everybody, it is not a textbook, it is not an academic book, it does not address those (equally admirable) future entrepreneurs who set out to sell sandwiches outside the banking district's skyscrapers in order to be able to pay their monthly rent. And it does not pretend to. But for those students and graduates who want to fully understand what "bootstrapping" really means, how one can find opportunity in unmet markets and by disrupting business models... who want to learn how just a handful of smart, astute and committed entrepreneurs can take on giant corporations; and for those of us specialists, experts, academics and executives in the corporate world or elsewhere, who may be searching for more sense in our lives... well for all of us this collection of journeys will make perfect holiday reading - and perhaps change the odd life trajectory? Jacqueline Fendt, PhD, Dr. math. MBA, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Paris France.

Get Inside the Minds of Entrepreneurs

What a perfect book for the times! This is one I plan to give to all of my investment management clients this year, as it should not only supplement their approach to understanding what makes a company or its leaders tick, but also inspire them (and this a year they need some inspiration!). Sramana Mitra asks all the right questions, as one would expect of someone with her background. Even better: The answers. I felt like I was involved in an intimate dialogue between two entrepreneurs. While the stories are from a very crazy but finite time (pre-bubble, bubble, post-bubble), I believe that the lessons that the reader takes away are timeless.

NEVER, Never, never, never Give UP!

Sramana Mitra has a gift of asking great questions and the intellect to understand, collect and challenge. "Entrepreneur Journeys" isn't just a quick read and case study collection. You will be drawn into the senarios, identify with the executives, question your ambitions, plans & unknowns and your ability to continue. "EJ" recounts "ideas, associates, angel/high wealth investors, questionable times, flexibility and overall .... perservance. An entrepreneur's life is Not for the faint of heart... NEVER, Never, never, never Give Up! I've shared some of EJ's stories with others, no one yet has been daunted and decided to turn back ... even in these "sail in the dark" times. I look forward to your next release... John (Advisor & Mentor, Board Chair, CEO/Pres)

Provocative and portable, style reflects both guts and graciousness

Sramana Mitra has become a different kind of voice in the tech and business world with her insightful interviewing style wherein she quickly establishes a deep sense of rapport with her subjects enabling them to confide the worries, passions, fears and inspirations which have driven their entrepreneurial ventures. Another strength that shines through is Sraman's ability to let us hear the "voice" of the entrepreneurs she has interviewed and written about. With her own depth of personal expertise, she easily could have overwhelmed or dominated the conversations. Yet she shows great stylistic skill in using her own depth of experience (as an M Eng. (EE) and having been a successful tech entrepreneur and consultant) in drawing out and helping her subjects express the insights others would have missed or failed to recognize in the first place. And if you have a secret love of history and geopolitics, you will enjoy the way she has spiced some of her interviews by drawing out the backgrounds of her interview subjects. A couple of specific examples for me included the interview with Philippe Courtot, or Marcos Galperin or Harish Hande. THE REAL VALUE in this book however, is the portability of the experiences captured and documented by this inspiring writer. I personally have little core interest in the world of tech entrepreneurship (beyond being a grateful user) but the way Sramana has unveiled the thinking processes of her subjects has helped me reflect on their experiences and "port" their transcendent insights over into my own spheres of business interest. I'm anticipating more great interviews and insights from Sramana, including how entrepreneurs will shape the development of Web 3.0, and healthcare and education at 'the bottom of the pyramid' (to borrow a phrase from CK Prahalad). Highly recommend this book to anyone with a great idea but understanding the need to avoid the many landmines hidden along the entrepreneurial path. Also recommend this for managers in companies who want to maintain an entrepreneurial culture as their company grows, or anyone concerned about solutions for global issues.

Great writing, Perfect Timing

It was refreshing to read interviews with entrepreneurs of "lesser" known, but equally remarkable successes. As the economy forces many to seek new forms of income, I hope they are encouraged by these stories. Thanks to Sramana for giving them a voice!