PAPERBACK EDITION FULLY UPDATED WITH TWO NEW CHAPTERS After creating 12 different billion-dollar businesses and breaking dozens of world records, wouldn't you think you'd done it all? Not Sir Richard Branson. Having brought the Virgin brand to all corners of the globe, he's now reaching out to the stars as he prepares to launch commercial space travel with Virgin Galactic. In this non-stop memoir, Richard takes you inside his whirlwind life: from reinventing his companies in the midst of the financial crisis and devastating personal losses, to tackling the planet's biggest challenges, to the joys of becoming a 'grand-dude' at 64.Discover the irrepressible spirit, ingenious vision and relentless drive that has made Richard the ultimate entrepreneur. The iconoclastic Virgin founder is still changing the world. Next comes outer space.

From profiles and interviews with the world's leading venture capitalists and high-profile coaches of business founders, A Dozen Lessons distills a set of bedrock methods for approaching business questions and creating value. The veteran business writer Tren Griffin takes the reader through the investment philosophies of VC luminaries such as Bill Gurley of Benchmark Capital, Marc Andreesen and Ben Horowitz of Andreesen Horowitz, and Jenny Lee of GGV Capital to draw out a set of guiding principles that successful businesses follow. With insight and verve, Griffin argues that venture capital is, at a fundamental level, a service business that depends hugely on "human factors." Griffin suggests that, among a number of common features, these investors succeeded because of their sense of hustle, keen judgment, hard work, and good luck. But most of all, they share a deep love of building businesses that goes beyond financial considerations. Griffin reminds us that success is a multidimensional phenomenon requiring talented people, customer traction, productive partnerships, and brand value. These features amplify one another, with incremental success attracting more attention, talent, and investment.

Millionaire Within shares self-made millionaire E. Brian Rose's secrets to achieving huge success in the world of online marketing. Packed with actionable takeaways, it's a roller coaster ride of failures and successes. These gritty tales have an upbeat ending, sure to leave readers clamoring to follow in Rose's footsteps.

Recent research has found pronounced differences in the level of entrepreneurship and new business formation across various regions and nations. This timely Handbook reveals that the development of new ventures as well as their effects on overall economic growth are strongly shaped by their regional and national environment. The expert group of contributors gives an overview on the current state of the art in this field, and proposes avenues for further investigation. Topics include the regional determinants of new business formation, the effects of start-ups on growth, the role of globalization for regional entrepreneurship, the effect of national and regional framework conditions, as well as the role of universities as incubators of innovative new firms.

The ways in which township businesses are started and grown provide the best and fascinating blueprint of lessons on starting an entrepreneurship venture. These are techniques any good startup in the world employs to find traction and grow. Township Biz Fastrack gives insights into development and growth models for township based businesses.

It focuses on strong principles which most township businesses have used to start-up, but haven’t wholly adhered to in the long run to their detriment. Therefore haven’t grown and sustained themselves amidst heavy competition and ever-changing societal dynamics. One principle in the book is bootstrapping, which by example is: starting off by selling one or two strategic and/or passion products, e.g. archar, to then reinvesting the proceeds on expansion. Therefore practical learning happens with minimum risk in capital investment.

The other principle is validation. So many businesses which started off selling few items have grown on the strength of customer advice - what to stock further. The book includes interviews with notable township business owners, whom give strategic survival tactics.

Often downplayed in the excitement of starting up a new business venture is one of the most important decisions entrepreneurs will face: should they go it alone, or bring in cofounders, hires, and investors to help build the business? More than just financial rewards are at stake. Friendships and relationships can suffer. Bad decisions at the inception of a promising venture lay the foundations for its eventual ruin. "The Founder's Dilemmas" is the first book to examine the early decisions by entrepreneurs that can make or break a startup and its team.

Drawing on a decade of research, Noam Wasserman reveals the common pitfalls founders face and how to avoid them. He looks at whether it is a good idea to cofound with friends or relatives, how and when to split the equity within the founding team, and how to recognize when a successful founder-CEO should exit or be fired. Wasserman explains how to anticipate, avoid, or recover from disastrous mistakes that can splinter a founding team, strip founders of control, and leave founders without a financial payoff for their hard work and innovative ideas. He highlights the need at each step to strike a careful balance between controlling the startup and attracting the best resources to grow it, and demonstrates why the easy short-term choice is often the most perilous in the long term.

"The Founder's Dilemmas" draws on the inside stories of founders like Evan Williams of Twitter and Tim Westergren of Pandora, while mining quantitative data on almost ten thousand founders.

People problems are the leading cause of failure in startups. This book offers solutions.

This fourth book in the New Movements in Entrepreneurship series focuses on the politics and aesthetics of entrepreneurial processes, in order to shed light on entrepreneurial creation itself. Presenting original empirical material, the eminent contributors examine control and entrepreneurship in various organizational contexts. They go on to demonstrate how control can be exercised entrepreneurially, how art brings an entrepreneurial force into society, and how entrepreneurship operates by aesthetic moves. The need to move beyond the traditional focus on the economic and business implications of entrepreneurship is also discussed, as is the relevance of political and aesthetic theory to our understanding of entrepreneurship as a creative force. The book provides entrepreneurship studies with a new language, that in itself is an aesthetic effort with political implications, resulting in new theoretical, empirical and practical possibilities. It will prove a fascinating read for students, academics and researchers with an interest in entrepreneurship and management and creativity and aesthetics.

THREE TOP MBA PROFESSORS - ONE BIG ROAD TRIP Full of powerful insights about product differentiation, pricing, brand management and tactics for battling the 'Big Boys', The Roadside MBA takes the blue-chip knowledge and tactics of Wall Street, and brings them to the High Street. Paul Oyer, Michael Mazzeo and Scott Schaefer have taught thousands of MBAs at some of the world's leading business schools. While travelling back from an economics conference together they dropped into a shoe store in Maine and chatted to the staff - and quickly realized that the strategic problems faced by small businesses are just as rich and compelling as anything challenging Microsoft or General Electric. These three wise men decided to go in search of real-world case studies that illustrate the key lessons of an MBA. The result is a rollicking American road trip that is both a great introduction for business owners who haven't done an MBA, and an entertaining refresher for those who have.

Practical insights on the role of the entrepreneur in the global business context Entrepreneurial ideas that look great on the drawing board can turn out to be deal breakers when introduced in real markets, even when they've been put through the toughest business modeling tests. The Global Enterprise examines how a healthy relationship between entrepreneurship and globalization can combine with new methods of knowledge creation to enhance economic development and build firm sustainability. This unique book takes a fresh and innovative approach to the practical aspects of international business, including economic cluster formation, network formation, market entry, public policy controls and incentives, economic competitiveness, and the creation of value. The Global Enterprise offers perspectives from practitioners and academics working in a variety of disciplines in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. Their contributions address many of the vital issues of global business, including value-added chains, cross-border networks, knowledge management, technology transfer, transnational lines of production, distribution, marketing, and financial flows, and the strategic partnerships between government and corporations. The book is illustrated with more than 65 tables and figures, and articles are organized into three sections "Globalization: Building Firm Sustainability," "Entrepreneurship and Public Policy: Economic Competitiveness," and "Knowledge Creation: Knowledge Management, Knowledge Transfer, and Cluster Formation." The Global Enterprise examines: the global transfer of capital strategic partnerships between governments and multinational firms the prospects for economic progress in developing countries the impact of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) the role of export regulations in national security and in safeguarding foreign policy the evolution of the Hard Rock Cafe cultural ontology global virtual teams (GVT) how to implement a knowledge management project a framework for discussing entrepreneurship from an environmental perspective and much more The Global Enterprise is an essential resource for academics, researchers, and professionals in the field of international business, and for economic development experts and government policymakers.

This impressive Handbook provides a dynamic perspective on the international entrepreneurial strategies of SMEs, including the role and experience of their founders, as well as the collaboration of these SMEs in networks with larger firms. The expert contributors from all over the world and the editors explore the origin and evolution of internationalizing SMEs, the changing history and the future outlook of this sector. They study the effects of different cultures on the origin and growth of entrepreneurship and SMEs. The Handbook also outlines the various types of Born Globals that emerge from different parts of the world. This book will prove essential reading for researchers and students of international business, entrepreneurship and SMEs. Founders of internationalizing SMEs will also learn about novel management practices, whilst educational institutions and governments will find invaluable insights on how to foster and support SMEs in their internationalization efforts.

This Handbook focuses on the interdependent relationship between entrepreneurship and creativity. This relationship is analysed from the perspective of different disciplines, including economic geography, sociology, education, economics, psychology, and also in different spatial contexts. Creativity and entrepreneurship are central concepts for understanding the driving forces in 21st century capitalist economies and societies. Rolf Sternberg and Gerhard Krauss provide an expert introduction to the role of creativity in the field of entrepreneurship, and vice versa. This Handbook assembles some of the leading scholars in the field to provide empirical and conceptual contributions, which provide the reader with a unique guide to the progress of research in this area. Of particular interest are the exploration of the influence of the spatial context, and the overview of government policy attempts to support entrepreneurship and creative economic development. This book will appeal to researchers and scholars interested in entrepreneurship and creativity issues, coming from a wide range of academic disciplines. These readers will find an up-to-date presentation of existing and new directions for research in their domains. The Handbook will also be of great interest to policymakers at the national, regional and local level, who will find valuable insights about the linkages between creativity, entrepreneurship and economic development.

This Handbook focuses on the interdependent relationship between entrepreneurship and creativity. This relationship is analysed from the perspective of different disciplines, including economic geography, sociology, education, economics, psychology, and also in different spatial contexts. Creativity and entrepreneurship are central concepts for understanding the driving forces in 21st century capitalist economies and societies. Rolf Sternberg and Gerhard Krauss provide an expert introduction to the role of creativity in the field of entrepreneurship, and vice versa. This Handbook assembles some of the leading scholars in the field to provide empirical and conceptual contributions, which provide the reader with a unique guide to the progress of research in this area. Of particular interest are the exploration of the influence of the spatial context, and the overview of government policy attempts to support entrepreneurship and creative economic development. This book will appeal to researchers and scholars interested in entrepreneurship and creativity issues, coming from a wide range of academic disciplines. These readers will find an up-to-date presentation of existing and new directions for research in their domains. The Handbook will also be of great interest to policymakers at the national, regional and local level, who will find valuable insights about the linkages between creativity, entrepreneurship and economic development.

Business angels are recognized as playing a key role in financing the start-up and early stages of new ventures. However, our knowledge of how business angels operate remains limited and highly fragmented. This Handbook provides a synthesis of research on business angels. It adopts an international perspective to reflect the spread of angel investing around the world. The increasing number of government initiatives to promote angel investing is also reflected in the book with an assessment of the most common support schemes. Adopting an international focus, the expert group of contributors examine business angels themselves, the evolution of the market, the various stages of the investment process and the role of public policy in influencing angel investment. They each conclude their chapters with an agenda for future research on business angels. Students and scholars of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance and related subjects will find this book to be an invaluable resource for their work. In particular, they will benefit from the research agendas that conclude each chapter. This Handbook will also be of interest to policy-makers and other practitioners looking to enhance their understanding of the design and need for such interventions.

The new edition of this market-leading textbook provides a holistic introduction to the academic study of entrepreneurship and offers practical guidance for prospective entrepreneurs. Adopting a life-cycle view of a business from start-up to maturity, it explores the many stages and forms of entrepreneurship. With an international outlook and expert synthesis of both theoretical foundations and lessons from real-life business practice, the book offers a complete course guide, fostering entrepreneurial talent, thinking and skills. The author's engaging style and unrivalled expertise drawn from a long-ranging career (as an academic, accountant and entrepreneur) make the book accessible and authoritative. This is an ideal textbook for those studying Entrepreneurship or Small Business on undergraduate Business or Management degree courses, as well as on MBA programmes. It will also appeal to those looking to launch their own businesses.

A vivid look at how India has developed the idea of entrepreneurial citizens as leaders mobilizing society and how people try to live that promise Can entrepreneurs develop a nation, serve the poor, and pursue creative freedom, all while generating economic value? In Chasing Innovation, Lilly Irani shows the contradictions that arise as designers, engineers, and businesspeople frame development and governance as opportunities to innovate. Irani documents the rise of "entrepreneurial citizenship" in India over the past seventy years, demonstrating how a global ethos of development through design has come to shape state policy, economic investment, and the middle class in one of the world's fastest-growing nations. Drawing on her own professional experience as a Silicon Valley designer and nearly a decade of fieldwork following a Delhi design studio, Irani vividly chronicles the practices and mindsets that hold up professional design as the answer to the challenges of a country of more than one billion people, most of whom are poor. While discussions of entrepreneurial citizenship promise that Indian children can grow up to lead a nation aspiring to uplift the poor, in reality, social, economic, and political structures constrain whose enterprise, which hopes, and which needs can be seen as worthy of investment. In the process, Irani warns, powerful investors, philanthropies, and companies exploit citizens' social relations, empathy, and political hope in the quest to generate economic value. Irani argues that the move to recast social change as innovation, with innovators as heroes, frames others-craftspeople, workers, and activists-as of lower value, or even dangers to entrepreneurial forms of development. With meticulous historical context and compelling stories, Chasing Innovation lays bare how long-standing power hierarchies such as class, caste, language, and colonialism continue to shape opportunity in a world where good ideas supposedly rule all.

The ideal firm has been studied over several centuries, yet little is known about what makes one successful and another fail. This pioneering book brings together leading researchers investigating the concept of the firm from a neuroscientific perspective. From the viewpoint of economics, the firm's purpose is to maximize shareholders' wealth; resources are commodities, each with its particular supply and demand curve that can be manipulated by the firm to its own benefit. Traditionally, the firm is focused on the strategic, operational and resource management objectives. The editors instead suggest that the objective of the firm is equal to the objectives of its workers. The definition and function of risk in decision-making, ethics, trust and the global financial crisis are all discussed. They are analyzed from the perspective of human bio-physiology, using scanning and hormonal analysis tools, with a focus on the implications for the bottom line of the firm. With experimental as well as theoretical and applied contributions, this book will benefit scholars and students of economics, business management, finance, organizational behavior, entrepreneurship, psychology, neuroscience and law. Practitioners of management, entrepreneurship and law firms will also find this book to be a captivating read.

This set of insightful papers demonstrates the importance of historical perspectives in the study of entrepreneurship. By exploring the role of entrepreneurship in the history of global capitalism, these volumes show that historical knowledge can challenge widely accepted generalizations made about entrepreneurship. The selected articles cover the best historical research on the role of entrepreneurship in creating global capitalism; the cultural and institutional explanations for geographical and temporal variations in entrepreneurship; the deep historical origins of 'born global' companies; the importance of networks and diaspora in new international market development; the key role of public policy in shaping cross-border entrepreneurial activity; and the impact of international entrepreneurship on local economies. This comprehensive collection will be of great interest to scholars of entrepreneurship, international business and business history.

Are you one of the many people who long to ditch the cubicle and go to work for yourself, on your own terms? What's holding you back? Self-doubt, fear, technology challenges, the feeling that there are already too many other people doing what you want to do? It's time to face those things head-on and transform your passion into a thriving business. Why? Because your message matters. In this uplifting and practical book, blogger, speaker, and business coach Jonathan Milligan gives you a simple 4-step framework to rise above the noise and build a real business. He shows you how to believe, define, craft, and market your message so that you can fulfill your unique purpose in this life. With plenty of helpful assessment tools and proven strategies--including how to create 7 perpetual income streams in 12 months from just one message--this is your go-to guide for living your dreams and impacting the world for good.

Innovation and entrepreneurship are often considered two sides of the same coin. But are the links between innovation and entrepreneurship as inextricable as we think? From Innovation to Entrepreneurship questions this seemingly interdependent relationship, highlighting the different requirements of innovation and entrepreneurship. This book disentangles theories of innovation and entrepreneurship, empirically revealing the overlaps and differences between them. Demonstrating that the pursuit of entrepreneurship is the key to economic development, Yasuyuki Motoyama explores the concept that people are at the heart of entrepreneurship ecosystems. Motoyama's provocative and nuanced approach makes this book critical reading for scholars of economic geography, urban planning and business. It will also be of interest to practitioners and policy makers working in government, economic development agencies and non-profit support organizations.

Modern economies are described as 'knowledge based'. This book investigates the meaning of such a statement, assessing the relevance of knowledge and the channels through which knowledge is exchanged, both from a theoretical and an empirical perspective. Moving within the realm of complexity theory, the authors provide a methodological assessment of the knowledge diffusion debate as well as presenting theoretical and applied models of knowledge diffusion and innovation. They illustrate how geography plays a role in shaping innovative patterns and how dense networks generally result in more innovative environments. The book concludes that establishing the right connections within such dense networks appears to be more crucial than any other factor, thus highlighting the importance of linkages (or the effects of their absence) within innovation systems. Proposing a taxonomy of knowledge-sharing patterns, this book will be warmly welcomed by academics, researchers and postgraduate students in the areas of the economics of innovation, evolutionary economics and knowledge economics.

Franchising is one of the major engines of business expansion and job creation globally. The Handbook of Research on Franchising contains original work by leading franchise scholars from around the world who offer new insights into entrepreneurial behavior, organizational forms, regulation, internationalization and other contemporary issues relating to this dynamic business strategy. The book will provide readers with a base of knowledge about the entrepreneurial opportunities and behaviors of franchisors and franchisees as well as explore the forms that franchise organizations may take, the regulation of franchise companies, how franchisors and franchisees relate to one another, the development of the franchise model, franchising in emerging markets, social franchising and more. It introduces theory and sets the agenda for future research and adds to education and practice. Practitioners will benefit from the high quality scientific research, and scholars will find exciting opportunities for contributing to the body of knowledge on a subject that has not received sufficient attention. The research contained in this book will also be of value to franchisors, franchisees, service providers and government regulators.

Global Women's Entrepreneurship Research responds to recent calls from academic researchers and policy analysts alike to pay greater attention to the diversity and heterogeneity among women entrepreneurs. Drawing together studies by 26 researchers affiliated with the DIANA International Research Network, this collection contributes to a richer and more robust understanding of the field. Part I: 'Diverse Settings' introduces research set in a range of contexts, from those rarely examined to those representing more familiar terrains. Part II: 'Diverse Questions' explores new questions and reframes old questions in fresh, innovative ways. Part III: 'Diverse Approaches' features studies with distinct methodological approaches that reflect and extend the rigour and creativity of research in this field. Together, the research assembled in this volume significantly advances knowledge about women's entrepreneurship around the world. While the book's primary audience is academic researchers and graduate students working in the areas of women's entrepreneurship, as well as entrepreneurship and family business more generally, it will also be of interest to scholars working in related research areas in the sociology of gender, work and organizations. Policy-makers in government and non-government agencies as well as profit and not-for-profit organizations that provide services to, or conduct research on, women entrepreneurs will also benefit greatly from the insights provided in this unique volume.