I’ve been contributing a column at Inc. Magazine devoted to the topic of de-mystifying angels and the early-stage investing process. A recent piece was a list of key books every would-be and new entrepreneur should read.
Fool Born Every Minute (So You Think You Want to Be An Entrepreneur?)
Could you be an entrepreneur? A start-to-finish reading list for entrepreneurs and people who think they want to be.
Entrepreneurship has come a long way toward being a better-understood and accessible way of life. But it will never be completely mainstream, because it’s not for everyone. Consider the temperament and skills required. Entrepreneurs need a broad skillset and, equally important, a high degree of awareness about their weaknesses. It’s a lonely, difficult, risky, frustrating, and sometimes scary path to choose.
Do you have what it takes? To help you figure that out, I’ve assembled a list of critical reading every would-be entrepreneur should digest. The list is not comprehensive–I have purposely tried to make it as short as possible. This core set of thoughtful materials will help immensely with decision making about your path and execution of it, if you decide to pursue it.
What’s It Like? What Does It Take?
The first question to resolve is whether you have it in you. Heart, Smarts, Guts, and Luck by Zappos founder Tony Hsieh (et al) is a very readable exploration of the psychology and temperament of the successful entrepreneur. A good resource for understanding the massive scope of skills necessary is the simply titled Entrepreneurship by William D. Bygrave and Andrew Zacharakis. This book will give you a nuts-and-bolts overview of virtually all aspects of the process (and will serve as a useful desk reference later). If 90 percent of the material in Entrepreneurship seems uninteresting or overwhelming, it’s time to write a résumé.
There Is No I in Team
It has been said that all startup problems are people problems…
[Surf over to Inc. Magazine to finish the story.]
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