South African born Elon Musk is the renowned entrepreneur and innovator behind PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Musk wants to save our planet; he wants to send citizens into space, to form a colony on Mars; he wants to make money while doing these things; and he wants us all to know about it. He is the real-life inspiration for the Iron Man series of films starring Robert Downey Junior. The personal tale of Musk's life comes with all the trappings one associates with a great, drama-filled story. He was a freakishly bright kid who was bullied brutally at school, and abused by his father. In the midst of these rough conditions, and the violence of apartheid South Africa, Musk still thrived academically and attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he paid his own way through school by turning his house into a club and throwing massive parties. He started a pair of huge dot-com successes, including PayPal, which eBay acquired for $1.5 billion in 2002. Musk was forced out as CEO and so began his lost years in which he decided to go it alone and baffled friends by investing his fortune in rockets and electric cars. Meanwhile Musk's marriage disintegrated as his technological obsessions took over his life...Elon Musk is the Steve Jobs of the present and the future, and for the past twelve months, he has been shadowed by tech reporter, Ashlee Vance. Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of Spacex and Tesla is Shaping our Future is an important, exciting and intelligent account of the real-life Iron Man.

A reader-friendly guide to the inner workings and behind-the-scenes action of Silicon Valley and venture capitalism. Investigative reporter Gary Rivlin gives an armchair tour of the world of venture capitalism, while providing vivid case studies illustrating how to get started in the field. He shows how once-small companies such as Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon used venture capitalism to transform into the icons they are today, and the VCs that made a fortune in the process. Readers will learn what series funding is, the difference between an angel and super angel investor, and how to go about identifying ideas worthy of funding. Becoming a Venture Capitalist is not only an exclusive look into the world of legendary venture firms-as well as stories of their most interesting characters, including Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, and Mark Zuckerberg-but a wonderful guide on how to break into a seemingly impenetrable world.

Make Consulting Your Dream Job-On Your Own Terms

When you start your own consulting business, you can be your own boss, set your own hours-and make big profits! But that only happens if you're truly prepared. Are you familiar with the biggest consulting myths? Do you know the 12 success factors for consultants? Have you ever owned your own business before? "How to Build a Successful Consulting Practice" has all these answers and more-distilled by consulting guru Jack Phillips from years spent researching and reviewing successful firms that are still in business today. This essential volume shows how to: Develop a bulletproof business planFind and keep clients for lifeBuild your brand with magnetic marketing strategiesWrite spot-on proposalsUse the Internet as a secret weaponBecome a charismatic public speakerAvoid financial, legal, and ethical pitfallsAdjust to a new work life

Anything You Want is Derek Sivers' iconic manifesto on lessons learned while becoming an entrepreneur You don't need a visionary master plan, loads of funding or a brilliant team to start a business. All you really need is GENEROSITY. When Derek Sivers started CD Baby, he wasn't planning on building a major business. He was a successful independent musician who just wanted to sell his CDs online. He started in 1998 by helping his friends sell their CDs too. In 2000, he hired his first employee. Eight years later, he sold CD Baby for $22 million. Sivers didn't need a business plan, and neither do you. You don't need to think big; in fact, it's better if you don't. Anything You Want will inspire you to start with what you have, care about your customers more than yourself, and run your business like you don't need the money. 'A true manifesto, a guidebook with clear signposts, and a fun ride you'll return to again and again' Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek

Today, over half of the largest economies in the world are global businesses - controlled by the few, and impacting the many. Business clearly has the power to change the world - but what if we, as individuals, had the power to change the world of business? For over a decade, Gib Bulloch led a corporate "guerrilla movement" within one of the world's largest global consulting organisations. Against the odds, he created a not-for-profit inside one of the most profit driven corporations in the world. Plaudits, prizes and promotions followed. But success came at a price: It ultimately cost him his job, his health and perhaps even his sanity as he found himself the unlikely resident of a psychiatric hospital in Glasgow. The Intrapreneur is an honest and insightful critique of the "craziness" of today's business environment - and a call to action for a new breed of social activist working within, about to join or completely disillusioned by today's business world. Finding your purpose... can feel like losing your mind

Start something new, develop your career and diversify your skills - without giving up your day job You want to launch a business, try something new and make yourself more employable, but you don't want to lose the security of your job. You no longer have to choose. Instead, become a 10% entrepreneur. In The 10% Entrepreneur, Patrick J. McGinnis shows you how to integrate entrepreneurship into your life by investing 10% of your time and, if possible, 10% of your capital into side projects. You will generate more income, discover new opportunities, sharpen your skills - and get the life you've always wanted.

The essential playbook for the future of your business What To Do When Machines Do Everything is a guidebook to succeeding in the next generation of the digital economy. When systems running on Artificial Intelligence can drive our cars, diagnose medical patients, and manage our finances more effectively than humans it raises profound questions on the future of work and how companies compete. Illustrated with real-world cases, data, and insight, the authors provide clear strategic guidance and actionable steps to help you and your organization move ahead in a world where exponentially developing new technologies are changing how value is created. Written by a team of business and technology expert practitioners who also authored Code Halos: How the Digital Lives of People, Things, and Organizations are Changing the Rules of Business this book provides a clear path to the future of your work. The first part of the book examines the once in a generation upheaval most every organization will soon face as systems of intelligence go mainstream. The authors argue that contrary to the doom and gloom that surrounds much of IT and business at the moment, we are in fact on the cusp of the biggest wave of opportunity creation since the Industrial Revolution. Next, the authors detail a clear-cut business model to help leaders take part in this coming boom; the AHEAD model outlines five strategic initiatives Automate, Halos, Enhance, Abundance, and Discovery that are central to competing in the next phase of global business by driving new levels of efficiency, customer intimacy and innovation. Business leaders today have two options: be swallowed up by the ongoing technological evolution, or ride the crest of the wave to new profits and better business. This book shows you how to avoid your own extinction event, and will help you; * Understand the untold full extent of technology's impact on the way we work and live. * Find out where we're headed, and how soon the future will arrive * Leverage the new emerging paradigm into a sustainable business advantage * Adopt a strategic model for winning in the new economy The digital world is already transforming how we work, live, and shop, how we are governed and entertained, and how we manage our money, health, security, and relationships. Don't let your business or your career get left behind. What To Do When Machines Do Everything is your strategic roadmap to a future full of possibility and success. Or peril.

Start-Ups, Pivots and Pop-Ups is a must read for anyone with a business idea and the desire to be successful. It gives the reader the skills and knowledge to survive in today's innovation and entrepreneurial-focused world. This book is about starting a business. It's about putting your toe in the entrepreneurial water - perhaps through doing a short term business gig or a pop-up business - and then seeing what happens. It shows you how to listen to the customer and work out why failures may happen, and when they do, you'll learn how to deal with them and create a new business that is robust and ready to grow. Start-Ups, Pivots and Pop-Ups shows you the best ways of starting, testing and growing a business. It shares the stories, experience and insights of those who've done it, and explains how to innovate, trial, refine and succeed. Even if your business idea struggles, you'll find out how to learn so much that you'll pivot your business, try again and then win big time. You'll learn from a range of organizations including abnormal beauty company Deciem, Leon fast-food, Triumph lingerie, New York fashion tech Nineteenth Amendment, Brew Dog beer, Cambridge Satchels, Allbirds, and the Cornish Seaweed Company.

Trapped in a job or business that's "just not you"? Always dreaming of your next vacation or living for the weekend? Marianne Cantwell's straight-talking bestseller will help you break out of that career cage and Be A Free Range Human. It's about much more than just quitting your job and becoming your own boss. It's about life on your terms, working when, where and how you want - so you don't have to fit yourself into someone else's box to make a great income. This second edition won't just inspire you, it will give you unconventional and practical steps to: - Discover what you really want to do with your life (even if no answer has ever fully fit) - Get started in 90 days, with what you have - Create a free range career, tailor-made for you and the life you want (be it travelling the world or hanging out in your favourite cafe) - Stand out from the crowd and get paid well to be you Be A Free Range Human was one of the first and most popular guides to creating a custom career (without an office or a boss). Updated with new advice on how to make free range work for your personality (you don't need to be a constantly-networking extrovert. have an MBA, or get funding), this smart, energizing guide will help you cut through the noise, see your options in a new way, and get the freedom and fulfilment you crave.

Get Shit Done. Less Meetings, More Doing. Passion Never Fails. These mantras have bred the likes of Twitter and Instagram. Now the essence of the startup world has been captured in book form. There's rocket-fuelled insight from the pioneers of the Lean revolution, alongside timeless wisdom from Zuckerberg, Bezos and Jobs. Whenever you're in search of inspiration and motivation, pick up this book. And then Get Shit Done. 'It's the new buzz acronym taking over the start-up world and kicking workers into action' -Evening Standard Lauris Liberts is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Startup Vitamins, which supplies motivation to the startup world. In Latvia he built the only European competitor of Facebook that's still locally dominant, then expanded globally with the Draugiem Group, Behappy.me and DeskTime. Startup Vitamins offers inspiration through posters, mugs, t-shirts and more. It's based in California and Latvia and ships globally - fast.

Go Fund Yourself isn't about cutting back on coffee or walking to work and it definitely isn't about becoming a bazillionaire overnight (sorry!). I don't believe in telling you what you should and shouldn't spend your money on and sadly, get rich quick schemes are a load of BS. Instead, it combines time-tested, expert advice with fresh insights into how money works today and how you can earn, spend and invest your way towards living your best life.

Through the lens of five topics: Learn it, Earn it, Start it, Spend it and Invest it, it covers all the essentials that we should have been taught at school, but weren't. From setting up a system to get you out of debt faster, to simple budgeting hacks. It also investigates the big financial challenges and opportunities we face today, from what the #RichKidsofInstagram have to do with you and your money, why spending no longer means owning and how being open about our finances could make us all richer.

And, most importantly it helps you take action, with helpful exercises and the 'GFY Money Plan'; a step by step guide to the seven most important financial moves you can make for your life.

"Oh, screw it, let's do it."
That's the philosophy that has allowed Richard Branson, in slightly more than twenty-five years, to spawn so many successful ventures. From the airline business (Virgin Atlantic Airways), to music (Virgin Records and V2), to cola (Virgin Cola), to retail (Virgin Megastores), and nearly a hundred others, ranging from financial services to bridal wear, Branson has a track record second to none.
Losing My Virginity is the unusual, frequently outrageous autobiography of one of the great business geniuses of our time. When Richard Branson started his first business, he and his friends decided that "since we're complete virgins at business, let's call it just that: Virgin." Since then, Branson has written his own "rules" for success, creating a group of companies with a global presence, but no central headquarters, no management hierarchy, and minimal bureaucracy.
Many of Richard Branson's companies--airlines, retailing, and cola are good examples--were started in the face of entrenched competition. The experts said, "Don't do it." But Branson found golden opportunities in markets in which customers have been ripped off or underserved, where confusion reigns, and the competition is complacent.
And in this stressed-out, overworked age, Richard Branson gives us a new model: a dynamic, hardworking, successful entrepreneur who lives life to the fullest. Family, friends, fun, and adventure are equally important as business in Branson's life. Losing My Virginity is a portrait of a productive, sane, balanced life, filled with rich and colorful stories:
Crash-landing his hot-air balloon in the Algerian desert, yet remaining determined to have another go at being the first to circle the globe
Signing the Sex Pistols, Janet Jackson, the Rolling Stones, Boy George, and Phil Collins
Fighting back when British Airways took on Virgin Atlantic and successfully suing this pillar of the British business establishment
Swimming two miles to safety during a violent storm off the coast of Mexico
Selling Virgin Records to save Virgin Atlantic
Staging a rescue flight into Baghdad before the start of the Gulf War . . .
And much more. Losing My Virginity is the ultimate tale of personal and business survival from a man who combines the business prowess of Bill Gates and the promotional instincts of P. T. Barnum.
Also available in the UK from Virgin Publishing, and in Canada from General Publishing,

"From the Hardcover edition."

New York Times bestselling author and social media entrepreneur Joel Comm reveals the secret to finding success in business: the pursuit of pleasure.

The demands of work and the fast-moving pace of technology wear heavily on employees and entrepreneurs alike. The "hustle and grind" lifestyle that most of us have bought into is simply unsustainable, leading to physical ailments, emotional burnout, and a darkness in the soul. Joel Comm has found a better way. In The Fun Formula, Comm demonstrates that the best path to success--in work and in life--is to focus on our passions, curiosity, and the things that bring us great pleasure. Doing so not only leads to more dramatic results, but to a more fulfilling life. Through stories and anecdotes from Comm's life and those of others, famous and not, The Fun Formula reveals how subtle changes in our thinking and routine can enable us to design the life we truly desire: one of significance and joy.

Start a successful business mid-life When you think of someone launching a start-up, the image of a twenty-something techie probably springs to mind. However, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are just as likely to start businesses and reinvent themselves later in life. Never Too Old to Get Rich is an exciting roadmap for anyone age 50+ looking to be their own boss and launch their dream business. This book provides up-to-date resources and guidance for launching a business when you're 50+. There are snappy profiles of more than a dozen successful older entrepreneurs, describing their inspirational journeys launching businesses and nonprofits, followed by Q&A conversations, and pull-out boxes containing action steps. The author walks you through her three-part fitness program: guidelines for becoming financially fit, physically fit, and spiritually fit, before delving more deeply into how would-be entrepreneurs over 50 can succeed. - Describes how you can find capital to start your own business - Offers encouraging stories of real people who have become their own bosses and succeeded as entrepreneurs - Written by PBS Next Avenue's entrepreneur expert, Kerry Hannon - Teaches you how to start your own business Never Too Old to Get Rich is the ideal book for older readers looking to pursue new business ventures later in life.

"Peter Hinssen's radical long-term view on organizing and innovation is as fascinating as it is insightful. This is a great read about the future of business, aimed at those who want to witness the potential of this age of disruption." Adam Pisoni, CEO at Abl Schools, Co-founder of Responsive.org and Co-founder of Yammer. "Peter Hinssen has done it again! The Day After Tomorrow is a provocative and inspiring book that will challenge you, educate you and open your eyes to possibilities that you never thought existed. A must-read for any organisation that wants to prepare for disruptive changes." Costas Markides, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. "Many futurists entice us with fanciful notions. Peter Hinssen, however, manages the impossible, combining a stunning clear vision of the future with a compelling but concrete framework to act on now." Eddie Obeng, Professor at Pentacle The Virtual Business School. For today's organisations, our constantly changing world has brought great consequences. In this book, Peter Hinssen tells the story of the pioneers who managed to adapt to those changes, and who moved beyond today and even tomorrow in their approach to innovation. In doing so, they were able to change the course of entire industries. Peter's book focuses on the business models of these pioneers, on the organisational culture, the talent, the mindset and the technology we should tap into in order to maximise our chances for survival in the 'Day After Tomorrow'. It will shift your perspective on your future, on the future of your company and even that of your grandchildren.

How can businesses balance the demands of both exploiting and exploring? Companies and their leaders have to use both hands: on the one hand making next quarter's targets through existing business, whilst simultaneously exploring new opportunities. This is the first book to explain how to use this approach to encourage innovation.

Everything you need to know for successful wealth management for families

Although the family office concept is not new, it is a phenomenon that is changing the wealth management landscape. With celebrities and business moguls, investment gurus and family business icons establishing private wealth management advisory firms, more and more individuals are asking what exactly is a family office and how does it operate? Family offices either serve one family exclusively or typically manage the wealth of a number of affluent families. If you're like most families and advisors, you're familiar with family offices, but may not know exactly how they work or why the family office is right for you or your clients. Dr. Kirby Rosplock, an expert on the family office concept, provides insights to some of the most common questions and even misperceptions in this handbook.

"The Complete Family Office Handbook" explains how family offices operate, who should consider forming or joining one, and how to craft and set up a structure, purpose and vision for the office that fully serves a family's particular needs and investment goals. Whether you're a wealth creator, a member of a wealthy family considering forming or joining a family office, or a professional contemplating a career in this growing segment of the wealth management industry, this comprehensive guide provides insights to some of the most common questions and misperceptions.

In this newly revised 10th anniversary edition, Yvon Chouinard--legendary climber, businessman, environmentalist, and founder of Patagonia, Inc.--shares the persistence and courage that have gone into being head of one of the most respected and environmentally responsible companies on earth. From his youth as the son of a French Canadian handyman to the thrilling, ambitious climbing expeditions that inspired his innovative designs for the sport's equipment, Let My People Go Surfing is the story of a man who brought doing good and having grand adventures into the heart of his business life-a book that will deeply affect entrepreneurs and outdoor enthusiasts alike. "This is the story of an attempt to do more than change a single corporation--it is an attempt to challenge the culture of consumption tat is at the hear of the global ecological crisis." --From the Foreword by Naomi Klein, bestselling author of This Changes Everything

My Back-To-Basics Business Bible is a must-read A-Z guide for anyone in need of a confidence-boost when setting up a business, becoming an entrepreneur, or building a start-up. Those early days in a new business can be a steep challenge, and in this powerful little pocket-book, fitness entrepreneur, Neeta Oza, shares an indispensable mini-guide to how she helps herself during times of doubt, and times of delight. A must-read that you can dip in and out of without taking up too much of your precious time, this little book will lift up everyone who needs some words of comfort and advice during the tumultuous early days of entrepreneurship. My Back-To- Basics Business Bible is packed with pearls of wisdom the author has learnt from many people, near and far. Starting her own fitness business changed Neeta's life in many amazing ways, and she is constantly learning from this journey; all day, every day! Written as part of her own life journey, this powerful little book is packed with simple tips, ideas and supportive words, to potentially turn your life around. It is part of a Mini Mindset Series designed to help people at various stages of their lives, relationships and careers.

This business book is great for leaders, middle managers and entrepreneurs interested in the following categories:

• Small Business
• Entrepreneurship
• Marketing
• Strategy
• Branding
• Customer Experience

Make it easy for customers to choose you; whatever your business, product or service.

With customers now subconsciously weighing up their massively expanded options in terms of purchase friction (how easy it is to spend) and shopping reward (the extras inherent to the buying experience); your job is to make it easy for them to choose you

When is high friction bad? Friction includes frustrations like putting a coin in a supermarket trolley lock, too many clicks, and hidden frictions from awkward presentation, process and offer. Reward includes quality of business support, amazing retail environments, even emotional issues such as trust and belonging.

When is high friction good? What value do different customers place on friction and reward across different buying scenarios? How can I benchmark against competitors? And, where are the big opportunities and where should we focus effort and resource? How do I market improved experiences to win customers?

Friction Reward teaches you how to understand, measure and improve every single possible customer interaction by applying techniques outlined in the book to your customer experiences and organisations.

Readers will:

• Create easier, faster and improved customer experiences by reducing friction and increasing reward.
• Discover how reducing friction attracts new customers, increases spend from existing ones and gives you a competitive advantage.
• Understand how the world's leading retailers, B2B sellers and public service providers are winning using these insights.
• Learn how to apply practical tools and technologies to their own customer and user scenarios both online and in the physical world.

If you are looking for an engaging textbook, rich in learning features, which will help you to guide your students through the process of developing and launching a start-up, this is it. With his innovative New Venture Creation Framework, Paul Burns breaks the venture creation process up into three key phases: Research, Business Model Development, and Launch. At every stage crucial steps and considerations are revealed, providing comprehensive coverage of the subject. Practical advice is combined with academic research, enabling you to run a course which is both relevant and rigorous. The second edition of this popular textbook is essential reading for any undergraduate or postgraduate course in new venture creation. It will also prove useful for shorter courses on entrepreneurship and in enterprise centres and entrepreneurship hubs.

24 Steps to Success! Disciplined Entrepreneurship will change the way you think about starting a company. Many believe that entrepreneurship cannot be taught, but great entrepreneurs aren t born with something special they simply make great products. This book will show you how to create a successful startup through developing an innovative product. It breaks down the necessary processes into an integrated, comprehensive, and proven 24-step framework that any industrious person can learn and apply. You will learn: * Why the F word focus is crucial to a startup s success * Common obstacles that entrepreneurs face and how to overcome them * How to use innovation to stand out in the crowd it s not just about technology Whether you re a first-time or repeat entrepreneur, Disciplined Entrepreneurship gives you the tools you need to improve your odds of making a product people want. Author Bill Aulet is the managing director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship as well as a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management. For more please visit http://disciplinedentrepreneurship.com/