“Great from the Start”
– the Quintessential Silicon Valley Guide to Starting a Business from it’s Inception.
from Small Biz Trends.com 6/12 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz
A Silicon Valley Guide. As I scan the freshly minted of “Great from the Start” – the Quintessential Silicon Valley Guide to Starting a Business from it’s Inception – I have to say that I’m overwhelmed by the sheer amount of content that’s contained in the approximately 250 pages of text. Great from the Start is a book that’s very accurately targeted at startups.
The Entrepreneurs. Consider that there are roughly 28 million small businesses in the United States in which over 80% have sales of a less than $1M and are founded by people with a “vision“ or a “passion” for making a difference in the world. I find myself wondering, how many of them would take the time to read what’s contained in this book and implement any of it.
Virtually Complete Handbook. This is an extremely well laid-out & thoughtful book. I might go so far as to say that it’s a “virtual” handbook on creating & starting a successful business from start to success. The author, John Montgomery has taken his entire professional career of working with startups and condensed it into this useful book. “Great from the Start” is a Guide for turning your idea into a successful company. You can read this book from start to finish, or you can turn to any of the chapters that you feel will be most useful to you.
A useful Workbook too. Another interesting aspect of this book is that it’s also a workbook with exercises to help you convert your ideas from your wild idea into clear & concise Action, Strategic & Business plans. At the end of each chapter, you’ll find a summary of key points & collaborative exercises that you can practice with your Management Team in working & planning together.
Expert Advice. I really like the way the Author has inter-woven expert advice from business owners who have been through the process inside of each chapter & section. That’s how you know that the content came from the real world and is supplemented by any intellectual or academic theory or philosophy – instead of the other way around.
Here are some of the Topics covered in the book:
· Have a compelling Vision & build Value for your company
· A winning Business Model & well-written Business Plan are crucial
· Avoid ‘Founder Disease:’ The one-man-band & the Me-Do-It-All syndrome
· Cultivate a Conscience for the company with good Core Values
· Designing the company’s culture: The Seven Rules of Engagement
· Flawless Execution: Learn to love the part you hate (because it will get you to your goals)
· Listen to your Customers: Find the “We” solution – that will benefit both of you.
About the Author: John Montgomery is a busy man. He’s a corporate attorney, entrepreneur, executive coach & writer. He’s the founder of Montgomery & Hansen, a Silicon Valley based corporate Law firm. He’s also founded Startworks, a technology incubator.
Comments: Please give us Feedback after you read the book.