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Leading at the Speed of Growth: Journey from Entrepreneur to CEO (Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership)
Katherine Catlin , and Jana Matthews Manufacturer: Wiley ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Similar Items:
ASIN: 0764553666 |
Book Description
Learn how to take your company to the next level of growth through the stories of over 500 successful entrepreneurs. Developed by the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, this flagship book introduces a new series on managing growth. The authors expertly guide you through the three stages of entrepreneurial growth: initial growth, rapid growth, and continuous growth. Personal stories told by successful entrepreneurs reveal the hows and whys of evolving as a leader at each stage, identifying red flags, vital signs, and secrets of sustained growth. Become a dynamic leader by using this book as your roadmap to entrepreneurial success.Customer Reviews:
Excellent resource.......2006-05-21
Knowledge is Success.......2002-05-13
This Book is good for every CEO and entrepeneur reengineering !
Roadmap to Success for Entrepreneurs.......2001-10-14
This book clearly illustrates to the entrepreneur the different skill sets he/she will have to adopt over the long-term if your company is on a high-growth trajectory. Have you ever noticed that most CEOs aren't the person that founded the company? I have seen many founders resign, step aside to bring in more seasoned managers, etc. The United States is such a successful country because of our capital formation and entrepreneurial spirit. Entrepreneurs create a huge number of jobs as capital and people are always seeking out companies they believe can change the way a certain business is done.
Lets say you have money, you have growth, and you have employees. What do you do to manage these different constituencies and grow the company so you will still be around to see the company prosper? This book clearly provides the roadmap (almost like a blueprint for the fast-growing CEO to adhere to.)
Required reading for several audiences........2001-08-05
The second group range from board directors, especially if venture capitalists are among them, and trusted personal advisors, especially if the entrepreneur does not have a true board comprised of some seasoned executives or consultants with requisite experience. These are the individuals who are in the best position to make these kind of judgments.
Many years ago, I was in the office of the head of one of the more successful venture capital firms in Boston...let's call him Mr. D. The purpose of our meeting was to discuss a possible collaboration with one of his ventures. As the discussion unfolded, it was clear that his attention was elsewhere, so I asked him if this was the case. He seemed relieved, and emotionally stated that he had just concluded a phone conversation with the outside directors of a promising venture in which he was the lead investor. The venture, with annual revenues over $20 million, was pioneering a new, important technological field. The outside directors were aware of the leadership problems, and were not surprised that Mr. D. was recommending the removal of the founder and his replacement an individual Mr. D. believed had the skills, experience, and desire to lead the company well into the rapid growth phase profitably. This was in spite of Mr. D's several frank one-on-one discussions with the firm's founder that revolved around his bringing in a new CEO, thereby permitting the founder to concentrate on the R&D efforts that were so essential for success. The founder refused to relinquish total control of his baby.
The founder's loss represented a serious setback for the investors, but one if not taken put the venture at extreme risk. It took several years before the company got back on its rapid growth phase while retaining its leadership position in its markets.
Would the entrepreneur have acted differently if he had read Catlin & Matthews' book with its real life examples? I can't tell, but he might have accepted his new role...after all, it would have been in his own self-interest - he owned about 30% of the stock.
Another example. I was on the board of a company facing the same kind of problem. The company had grown from $800,000 in revenues to somewhat over $5 million in 15 months. The CEO confided in me that the joy of building his creation was being displaced by too many operating details. First he brought in a solid COO, but soon thereafter asked us the board to find his replacement. He gave us enough time to do this as we worked out ways we could collaborate with him in the near future.
Similar stories repeated time and time again. Catlin & Matthews offer constructive advise to help entrepreneurs make it through their growth phases - or to counsel them to face reality. Bravo, Katherine and Jana; may your book gain widespread use.
Catlin & Matthews at least spell out for entrepreneurs the nature of the game they are in. To ignore their advice seems, to me, to be foolhardy.
A Superb Look at the Changing Demands on the CEO.......2001-06-28
Review: "But the sad reality is that relatively few members of this wave of entrepreneurs will still be in charge when the companies they founded break through to super success." "The mission of Learning at the Speed of Growth is to enable many more entrepreneurs to be great leaders of growth companies."
The book's title is an outstanding one for its subject. The CEO's ability to learn is a key key limit to a company's success. When an improved product or service ignites rapid growth, it is typical for the growth to exceed that of the CEO's ability to learn. The board eventually finds a replacement who already has those lessons under her or his belt.
While no book can teach you everything you need to know, you can use this book as a road map to tell you where you need to go next.
"The irony of entrepreneurial ledership is that the very behaviors and habit patterns that lead to success at one stage of growth contribute to failure in the next stage." Keep that lesson in mind. It's the important take-away from this book.
In the start-up phase, the CEO is both a doer and a decision-maker. In the initial growth phase, the CEO's best roles are as delegator and direction setter. If the CEO tries to keep doing all the key roles, the CEO becomes a stall who delays everything. In the rapid growth phase, the CEO's best roles are as team builder, coach, planner, and communicator. That's the stage where many CEO's don't have the experience to leap the talent chasm within themselves. Think of Chuck Scwab as a good role model here. In the continuous growth phase, the CEO should be a change catalyst, organization builder, promoter of innovation, and chief of culture. Think of Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines in that last role.
The book also addresses what the company's focus should be. During start-up, it's developing new products and services. During initial growth, it's driving sales forward. In rapid growth, it is leading the market. And in continuous growth it is dominating the industry. Those who have followed Geoffrey Moore's work will recognize a similarity to the stages he describes in Crossing the Chasm and Inside the Tornado.
The material in the book is greatly improved by sections called "red flags" where warning signs of the need to change are identified.
I found the book to be limited in not providing enough guidance about the roles of the rest of the top management team during these transitions. The work of Adizes on that subject is a good complement to the material in this fine book.
CEOs would do well to find coaches to help them with these transitions if the shifts call for roles for which they have no experience. Those who wish to be CEOs of start-ups would be helped by organizing their careers to get these experiences before becoming a CEO.
A take-away from this book is to think about all of the roles in which you have to change in your life. For example, as a parent, you are initially a loving adult and caregiver for babies. But when you children are 25, they need something different. You need to make those transitions along the way, or you lose the connection to their most urgent emotional, psychological, and physical needs.
Learn the art of improvisation . . . so that you can play any role on a moment's notice!
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My Start-Up Life: What a (Very) Young CEO Learned on His Journey Through Silicon Valley
Ben Casnocha Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Similar Items:
ASIN: 0787996130 |
Book Description
Ben Casnocha discovered he was entrepreneur at age 12 and hasn't slowed down since. In this remarkably instructive book, Ben dissects the entrepreneurship "gene," explaining that everyone has inherited it if they have an idea to make the world a better place. In Casnocha's case, he found a better way for city governments to communicate with constituents on the Web. Six years later, Comcate has dozens of municipal clients, a growing staff, and a record of excellence. This book is the story of his start-up, but also a conversation with his mentors, clients and fellow entrepreneurs about how to make a business idea workand how to have the time of your life trying. From Pat Lencioni to Marc Benioff of salesforce.com, Ben has won over the best and brightest of the business worldnow it's your turn!Customer Reviews:
Frontline entrepreneurship .......2007-09-30
PARENTING A PRODIGY.......2007-07-19
Hype machine.......2007-07-15
Profound, sensible and compact........2007-07-11
Useless........2007-06-28
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Leap of faith: An honest to goodness entreprenuer's uplifting journey
John M Boler Manufacturer: Boler Publishing ProductGroup: Book Binding: Unknown Binding ASIN: 0967442400 |
Product Description
Autobiography of John Boler, founder and owner of The Boler Company.
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Don't let the accent fool you: The journey of Oil Express founder, Art Lukowksi, from Stalin's construction camps to the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
Arthur Lukowski Manufacturer: Sharing Publishers ProductGroup: Book Binding: Unknown Binding ASIN: 0965752208 |
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Launch Fever: An Entrepreneur's Journey into the Secrets of Launching Rockets, a New Business and Living a Happier Life
Tim Taylor Manufacturer: Writers Club Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Similar Items:
ASIN: 0595656145 |
Book Description
Tim TaylorÂ's story is not simply that of a single individual, but a metaphor for an era that took us to the moon. Launch Fever is an inspiration not only to the rocket scientist but also to every entrepreneur starting or dreaming of starting his or her own company. The story covers both the Challenger and Columbia disasters with fascinating detail. This is a motivating insiders look at the kind of struggles that lie ahead (or behind) for every entrepreneur. Come face to face with the harsh realities and difficult decision of letting go the security of 9-5 to pursue a dream as Tim Taylor discovers the spark of enlightenment, which propels him into the world of entrepreneurship.Customer Reviews:
Valuable nuggets of life experiences.......2005-02-12
Made my weekend to read this book........2003-06-25
As I continued to monitor the launch countdown process, I noticed some frustration on the part of the astronaut crew due to the cold temperatures. They were having a hard time with their gloves and equipment, and the entire process sounded more unorganized than with previous missions.
A consistent, timely and methodical program was followed for each launch. Organization was key because it reduces the chance for error and emotions. The customary routine for an astronaut on launch day involves steak and eggs for "breakfast" even if wake up time is at noon or midnight. Steak and eggs are served because they reduce body waste. The last thing an astronaut needs to eat before liftoff is something that will upset his/her stomach and make for large bowel movements. The astronaut's goal is to reduce the number of bathroom breaks in space hoping to reduce debris, smell and privacy issues. A birthday party type of celebration follows the breakfast, which includes birthday cake and several top prelaunch workers. Then the astronauts walk fifty feet to an ultra clean white room to suit up in their orange pressurized suits. The astronauts exit the large Operations and Control building and enter the van, which takes them on the seven mile drive out to the launch pad. From wake up call to liftoff is about four to five hours. On the day of a shuttle mission, instead of sitting horizontal like you would in a car, the shuttle is pointed straight up towards the sky so that the astronauts lie on their backs with their feet above them. The time lying feet first in the space shuttle restrained to a giant hydrogen/oxygen bomb is about one hour.
As time drew closer to what is called T-Zero...
Read this book and do it on a weekend when you need a boost and a day full of enjoyment.
Great book for small business owners!.......2003-06-25
Great book for small business owners!.......2003-06-25
Great book for small business owners!.......2003-06-25
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The American Entrepreneur in Asia: A Personal Journey of Global Proportions
Irl M Davis Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc. ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback ASIN: 0595350542 |
Book Description
How does a person coordinate the proper paperwork, travel time, cultural differences, language barriers, and political land mines that are inherent in doing business overseas? In The American Entrepreneur in Asia: A Personal Journey of Global Proportions, author Irl Davis shares the intricate details of international business that he learned on his own personal journey. Some may be on a simple quest for informationfinding resources, looking up Web sites, or subscribing to a magazine that caters to global entrepreneurs. Others may embark on an actual physical journeyto China, Taiwan, or one of the other countries detailed by Davis. Some may even be on a hypothetical journey, seeking answers to the what if questions and maybe this possibilities that need to be resolved before conducting business internationally. If you can answer yes to one or all of the following questions, then The American Entrepreneur in Asia has the information you need for successful international expansion:
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The Autobiography of Shibusawa Eiichi: From Peasant to Entrepreneur
Teruko Craig Manufacturer: University of Tokyo Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover ASIN: 0860085023 |
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The Do or Die Entrepreneur (A Korean American Businessman's Journey)
Manufacturer: Random House ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback ASIN: 8957579265 |
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The Entrepreneur's Journey
Gene Poor , and Rodney Heiligmann Manufacturer: Hyperformance Inc ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback ASIN: 097679120X |
Product Description
Finally - a book for aspiring entrepreneurs by two seasoned entrepreneurs. Gene Poor and Rodney Heiligman have been involved in six personal business start-ups and dozens of new venture creations throughout the world in their collective 50 years of business experience. The Entrepreneur's Journey is a no-nonsense approach to entrepreneurship. They put the emphasis on the absolute essentials of going from dreaming about starting a business to effectively getting it off the ground. In brief - easy to folow chapters - the authors simplify the process of going from idea generation through market analysis to preparation of a business plan while emphasizing differentation, niche marketing, positioning, strategy, and margins.Customer Reviews:
A Must-Read.......2006-03-30
The Entrepreneur's Journey.......2005-12-19
The Ultimate Entrepreneur Start-up Handbook!.......2005-12-16
Great book!.......2005-12-16
Short and Sweet.......2005-12-15
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Her Journey: Stories of Entrepreneurs
Darlene Jones Manufacturer: Writer's Showcase Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback ASIN: 0595166555 |
Book Description
Her Journey is a book about a phenomenon in the workforce that has caught the attention of many women in North America: entrepreneurship. For as many reasons as there are women who are becoming entrepreneurs, this practice currently enjoys a great deal of popularity. You may already be one of the many contributors to this way of doing business. Perhaps you are considering joining the ranks of the entrepreneur. Or maybe you are just curious about the reasons women seem drawn towards this idea of heading up their own businesses.You will meet four women entrepreneurs. Although their names have been changed these are real women with real lives and real experiences. While each of their stories is different, similar patterns weave in and out of each of their tales as owner/operator of their own businesses. The warp and woof of their entrepreneurial lives creates an existence for each of them that can best be described as a metaphorical journey.
The use of the journey metaphor was a natural result of listening to these women recounting anecdotes about their lives as female entrepreneurs. For centuries we have used metaphors to tell stories, to create visual explanations. In Her Journey the metaphor of a journey describes entrepreneurship in terms of the patterns observed at the outset of the entrepreneurial journey, en route, and at the probable termination of the journey.
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