What are "must-reads" for someone looking to go into entrepreneurship?

mspvar · 2016-09-30T18:52:37+00:00

"Daytime is for selling. Nighttime is for working."

"The only thing you can control in business is your own effort; and sales cure everything."

Both of those are from Mark Cuban, so I'm holding my nose as I type them. But they are absolute must- read, must-know and must-practice items for new businesses.

AFPJ · 2016-09-30T18:53:27+00:00

If you're serious about your own business, the best thing you can do is go into salaried / career work for 3-6 years with the explicit purposes of (1) gaining mentorship, (2) building a strong network, (3) learning skills you need to succeed in the business you want to make in the context of a "live" and (4) saving up the capital you'll need to start your own.

If your ethics allow it, jump-start your business on someone else's dime. Work on your shit while you're at work. Do whatever it takes to succeed, personally, shareholders won't miss a 6 digit peon's productivity - as long as you're not fucking over a specific hard working dude who's trying to make a living and / or feed his family, you're good to go.

The thing about business is, it's fine to dick over a demographic. But never make enemies of individuals / entities.

Decide if you want your businesses' strength to be in its ability to be scaled OR in its inability to be scaled when you pick your niche, and remember, your competition will have the same benefits. You want an impersonal, high turnover fuckfest that will hopefully make bank? Great, pick something that scales. You want long lasting, personal connections with all your customers and a low turn-over / strong company culture? Definitely pick something that doesn't scale.

I could rant forever, but, let me tell you, unless you're looking at potential financial downsides (like buying equipment or investing in long-yield contracts), 90% of your time should be doing & adjusting your mental model based on the success or failure of your actions, and under 10% of your time should be thinking ...at least, at first. I could rant for a really long fucking time here, but my coffee's done so my posting streak is concluding. Source: business owner.

Oh, and this is just my personal - and, among my entrepreneur network, wildly unpopular opinion - but never, ever go into debt or take outside investment. If your shit's not profitable at every transition, scale, and juncture that doesn't mean you take a loan and hope you can out-scale it: it means you pause expansion / transition and fix your business.

In other words, don't be a 5-year exit plan ass clown.

SetConsumes · 2016-09-30T18:57:15+00:00

E-Myth Revisited, all about setting up businesses that do not fail.

redditatt · 2016-09-30T23:44:54+00:00

Art of The Start by Guy Kawasaki, because it confirms much of what I've learned in 2 years in a startup.

There are a million models for entrepreneurship. Mine boils down to this;

Prioritize. Implement. Repeat.

My own mantra: ** Kill ideas liberally. **

Especially be willing to kill your own. Most people treat ideas like children and defend them at all costs. Kill them so that the truly good ideas may live.

Officer_Dick_Johnson · 2016-10-01T10:40:19+00:00

The Millionaire Fastlane -- MJ DeMarco

ArizonaRob · 2016-10-01T06:00:06+00:00

The Classics:

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - Mindset (skip the resume building stuff, etc.)
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie - Mindset (I still flip through this several times a year. It is on a stack by my bed.)

These were written in the 30s but have had some revisions since then. I would recommend reading the originals. They are absolutely essential starting points. They will change your life if you implement their principles. Then jump to the modern books, E-Myth is great, 7-Habits of Highly Effective People, From Good to Great by Jim Collins also good. But as soon as you can deal with people and have the proper mindset all you have to do is Think and Grow Rich. You're about to make the best decision of your life, if you chase it, congratulations.

Braaaaaapp · 2016-10-01T06:05:55+00:00

The Startup Owner's Manual STEVE BLANK
Opportunity Identification and Entrepreneurial Behavior JOHN E BUTLER
Dotcom Secrets RUSSELL BRUNSION
Zero to One PETER THIEL
Contagious: Why Things Catch On JONAH BERGER
The Lean Startup ERIC RIES
The E-Myth Revisited MICHAEL GERBER
Walk Away Wealthy: The Entrepreneur's Exit-Planning Playbook MARK TEPPER
Think and Grow Rich NAPOLEAN HILL
101 Crucial Lessons They Don't Teach You in Business School CHRIS HAROUN
The Purpose Is Profit: The Truth About Starting and Building Your Own Business ED MCLAUGHLIN
The E-Myth Revisited MICHAEL GERBER
The Personal MBA JOSH KAUFMAN

JamesSkepp · 2016-10-01T12:45:16+00:00

https://www.cbinsights.com/blog/startup-failure-post-mortem/

http://www.slideshare.net/duvalunionconsulting/10-hyper-disruptive-business-models/6-THE_SEVENMETAPHORSOF_DISRUPTION10_HYPER_DISRUPTIVE

http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/disrupting-beliefs-a-new-approach-to-business-model-innovation

http://digitalintelligencetoday.com/30-more-psychological-nudges-to-get-people-to-buy-from-the-small-big-speed-summary/

https://medium.com/swlh/the-quick-and-dirty-guide-to-launching-your-startup-in-2015-7213650e5d8d#.vhlg6fzem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFdCzN7RYbw

InformationFetus · 2016-10-01T00:43:01+00:00

I'm sure r/entrepreneur would be helpful for you

Title	What are "must-reads" for someone looking to go into entrepreneurship?
Author	knightSwolaire
Upvotes	15
Comments	12
Date	September 30, 2016 6:18 PM UTC (9 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/5599gz/what_are_mustreads_for_someone_looking_to_go_into/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/what-are-must-reads-for-someone-looking-to-go-into.112125 https://theredarchive.com/post/112125

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