Resources on Entrepreneurship and Innovation
| Entrepreneurs and innovators are the mountain climbers of the business world. Here are some of our favorite reads on this particular kind of challenge and adventure, as well as some sources that might be helpful for anyone currently pursuing or contemplating an innovative or entrepreneurial path.
Note that this page contains affiliate links to Amazon.com. Books Growing a Business First published in 1987, this book quickly became the bible for entrepreneurs interested in started and running businesses with a soul. Using examples like Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s, Hawken (who co-founded gardening retailer Smith & Hawken) lays out a path toward growing a business that relies on introspection more than filling in templates. “All businesses involve such factors as cash flow, accounting, and marketing.” Hawken says. “But these things no more describe your business than household shopping lists and errands describe your family.” A classic that still rings true today. - MS Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition Kawasaki is an icon among many entrepreneurs, and this is the book he’s rumored to wish he had read when he was starting his own career in business. If you have big entrepreneurial visions for your future, start here. As Guy puts it: “I wanted to provide hardcore information to hardcore people who want to kick ass, and I wanted this information in something you can hold in your hands—aka, a book. Why? Because a book boots up faster than a blog and a book has better copy editing and fact checking than a blog and is not dependent on Internet connectivity, battery life, or the ineptness of HTML printing.” - MS The Monk and the Riddle: the Art of Creating a Life While Making a Living An insightful book by one of the sharpest venture capital minds in Silicon Valley about pursuing passion and purpose, rather than just the almighty dollar—even in the entrepreneurial world. - LW Creativity in Business Based on a pioneering course for business students at Stanford University in the 1980s, Creativity in Business is about unlocking your creative powers and unleashing them within the context of running a business. Filled with inspiration and techniques form Eastern philosophy and mysticism, the book—first published in 1986—was one of the first to consciously blur the lines between business and art. The central thesis is that business (dealing as it does with dynamic tools like capital, people, markets, and ideas) is the highest form of art. An intriguing read, especially given that many of the concepts seem much more widely accepted today. A classic that should be on any entrepreneur’s bookshelf. - MS The Leadership Moment: Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and Their Lessons for Us All The book cover describes this as “nine true stories of triumph and disaster and their lessons for all of us”—and that’s as good a description as I could come up with. Useem, the Director of the Wharton School’s Center for Leadership and Change Management, tells the compelling stories of nine critical events, and examines how the individuals and leaders made their choices, and what lessons the rest of us can draw from that. The tales range from the Mission Control crisis of Apollo 13 and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain leading a pivotal charge in America’s Civil War to Alfredo Cristiani’s efforts to end the civil war in El Salvador. Interesting, thought-provoking reading. - LW Articles Essays These essays, by entrepreneur and ViaWeb co-founder Paul Graham, range from the inherent flaws in Philosophy as a field of study to 13 tips for successful start-ups. But Paul Graham is definitely an experienced risk-taker and entrepreneur, and his thoughts—on everything from getting funding and why taking risks and making mistakes are both valuable, to life in general—are all interesting and thought-provoking reads. “All Hail the Agents of Resurrection” While the “downturn” referred to in this 2003 article was the dot-com bubble bursting, the points it makes about passion, failure, and the entrepreneurial spirit are just as valid now as ever. “How Hard Could it Be?: Start-up Static” A great article with a great metaphor. “A new business is like a shortwave radio,” Spolsky says. “You have to fiddle patiently with all the dials until you get the reception you want.” Too many busy owners lose motivation and give up. This article provides a good perspective on why to hang in there … and how. “Eleanor Roosevelt vs. Randy Komisar on Failure” In this interesting post from his blog, Stanford Professor Robert Sutton takes a look at two different perspectives on failure. Follow the links in the post for other interesting ideas. Web sites/blogs Anywired Big Bright Bulb BizLift Blog Cheskin Blog Edge TED Robert Sutton Blog |