Upstart Start-Ups!: How 34 Young Entrepreneurs Overcame Youth, Inexperience, and Lack of Money to Create Thriving Businesses

By Ron Lieber

Book Overview

You're young and ambitious, with a great idea for a new software program, downtown music 'zine, or a better-than-Snapple beverage--but how do you turn your dream concept into a thriving business? Forget the ultra-conservative suits who scoffed when you brought your hot idea to their door As Fortune magazine's Ron Lieber shows, you can actually turn your youth, inexperience, and lack of money to your advantage and capitalize on your assets to trump the corporate system, be your own boss, and turn your entrepreneurial vision into a reality. Based on interviews with more than thirty young, independent entrepreneurs who have developed some of today's hottest--even revolutionary--companies and products, Upstart Start-Ups provides essential tips and information that will enable you to get your own Nantucket Nectars or Magnetic Poetry off the ground. Check out: The myths and realities you need to know about starting a business when you're under 30 How to generate your first "brainstorm" and how to act on a good idea How to overcome the stigmas of youth and inexperience and make your age work to your advantage How to develop a realistic business plan Where and how to get the financial backing you need How to establish credibility for your business or product with consumers Models that have proved successful, and how to apply them to your own vision Twenty-six-year-old Ron Lieber writes for Fortune magazine and is the coauthor of the New York Times business bestseller Taking Time Off. He appears regularly on national television and radio to discuss career issues, corporate management, and his recent columns.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 076790088X
• ISBN13: 9780767900881
• Release Date: August 1998
• Publisher: Crown Currency
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The first book to read before you start your own business

Anyone starting his own business should read this book. The writing is clear and concise. The author is definitely a real writer. And each chapter is loaded with facts that are essential for anyone starting up. To really hit home, the author provides each chapter with examples from real start-ups such as Motley Fool and Kate Spade. The only downside is since this is such a quick read, more resources will be necessary. The chapters on business plan writing and marketing are more like primers which you need to read up on for these mandatory skills. But no worries, the author provides tons of resources in the appendix for additional reading. If you read this and then read "Think and Grow Rich"...it just might be your ticket out of that ka-rappy job.

Bingo Bango! Sugar in the gastank!

Awesome. Well, its hard for a BOOK to be AWESOME, but this one is close. Let's just call it "an exceptionally superb read." This book closed the book for me (pun intended) on whether or not to begin my little business. And the answer is a resounding YES! This is not a book that will teach you how to file with the IRS, or how to write a business plan. What it will teach you is whether or not you are ready to run your own business.The lessons I got from this book that have stuck with me are A: Don't wait until you're too old to start a business! By then you'll know better. B: It doesn't matter if you don't really know what you're doing; nobody does. These lessons, and many more, are reinforced by interviews and stories of many different entrepreneurs, who range from tiny companies you've never heard of, to the guy who started CDNOW. You will have a notebook full of ideas by the time you're through.WARNING: If you're over 30, be prepared to feel crappy about how you're spent your years since graduation from college or high school. Although anyone who wants to start a business will benefit immensely from this book, it is written to appeal to young, hip, headstrong gen-whatevers like me. And there are lots of swear words, which makes it seem even more hip and not stuck-up.One other thing: the resource section in the back is frab-dabulous and zip-zoop-zabulous.Buy it now!

Makes you wanna do it too...

I was lucky enough to read this book when I was fiddling with the idea of starting my own business. The stories of other young people who had the courage to take the plunge realy inspired me and gave me the final push towards the decision, a decision I'm very glad that I made. In short, this book is not a how-to book, it doesn't give you information, but it sure does give you inspiration...

Simply Fantastic

I really loved this book -- I consider myself somewhat of an entrepreneur, and this book gives people a no BS approach with respect to what it takes to start your own business. I've read a lot of "get rich" entrepreneurial books that deceive readers and provide almost no valuable information about what it means to start a business, and most importantly, to maintain that business. I think the author here has broken some new ground with this book. Lieber chose some great, rising stars in the business world to discuss their insights about entrepreneurship, and the perspectives (as new entrepreneurs)they offer ought to be heeded by whomever reads this kick ass book.

Easy read with invaluable advice

As trite as this may sound, Lieber's book is truly a must-read for anyone thinking about starting their own business. One of the most important things that Upstart Startups imparts upon its readers is the notion that setbacks are inevitable. As an individual who is trying to open up health clubs in rural areas, I can attest to this fact. I have learned a great deal from the experiences and advice related by the subjects of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in entrepreneurship.