This is “Selling U: Inspiration, Resources, and Assistance for Your Entrepreneurial Journey”, section 15.3 from the book Powerful Selling (v. 1.0). For details on it (including licensing), click here.
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15.3 Selling U: Inspiration, Resources, and Assistance for Your Entrepreneurial Journey
Learning Objectives
- Meet some experienced entrepreneurs and learn from their successes and failures.
- Understand the resources available to help you pursue your entrepreneurial dream.
Meet Some Entrepreneurs
This chapter is only the beginning of thinking about selling your idea and yourself. It’s designed to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit in you. Selling U is a resource section for each chapter that provides information about how to use the concepts in “real life.” This chapter is no different. The previous chapter sections of Selling U have included resources to build your personal brand; this chapter includes insights and information about how to apply those concepts to pursue a career in an entrepreneurial environment.
Hear and read about the success and lessons from some of the best in the business. If experience is the best teacher, these entrepreneurs are excellent professors.
| Business: | Gotham Dream Cars |
| Entrepreneur: | Noah Lehmann-Haupt |
| Video: |
How leasing luxury cars became a multimillion-dollar business |
| Business: | Jaguar Builders |
| Entrepreneur: | Sherman “West” Westmoreland |
| Article: |
How a quadriplegic became one of Florida’s most successful homebuilders http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb4927/is_2_57/ai_n32018572/ |
| Business: | BTTR Ventures (stands for Back to the Roots) |
| Entrepreneurs: | Nikhil Arora and Alex Velez |
| Article: |
Interview with two college seniors started a company to recycle coffee waste |
| Business: | Live Green |
| Entrepreneur: | Steve Ma |
| Article: |
How the organization that connects customers with eco-friendly businesses in the Washington, DC, area got started http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7560/is_200907/ ai_n35629263/?tag=content;col1 |
| Business: | Deano’s Italian Grille and Brick Oven Pizza, Smokin’ Lobos Barbecue and Grill, Scoops, downtown lofts, and more |
| Entrepreneur: | Josh Nichols |
| Article: |
How Nichols brought entrepreneurship and urban development to Dublin, Florida. http://www.allbusiness.com/real-estate/commercial-residential-property-property/12346813-1.html |
| Business: | Chic Gems, Etc. |
| Entrepreneur: | Sarah Radford |
| Article: |
This former top medical sales rep shares how she turned life’s lemons into lemonade by starting her own jewelry design business and her tips for success |
| Business: | Sweat Fitness Gyms |
| Entrepreneur: | Scott Caplan |
| Video: |
How Sweat Fitness does what it takes to keep memberships during the recession |
| Business: | CaseStack, a logistics outsourcing company |
| Entrepreneur: | Dan Sanker |
| Article: |
A virtual ride-along with Sanker as he talks about how the business got started and the thrills and challenges of being an entrepreneur http://www.e-shadow.com/interview-with-an-entrepreneur- dan-sanker-of-casestack |
| Business: | Stonyfield Farms, organic yogurt products |
| Entrepreneur: | Gary Hirshberg |
| Video: |
How the company became a 25-year overnight success |
| Business: | Wish of a Lifetime |
| Entrepreneur: | Jeremy Bloom |
| Article: |
How Bloom started his nonprofit organization for seniors http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1164278/index.htm |
| Business: | Brave Spirits |
| Entrepreneur: | David Fox |
| Videos: |
How Brave Spirits was started http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm-9evHv2wA Brave Spirits |
Advice from the Masters: Famous Entrepreneurs Share Their Lessons
Video Clip
Generation Next
Global entrepreneurs share their advice for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Video Clip
Balancing Act
Restaurateur Tom Colicchio (Top Chef) and Sarah Molten (formerly of Gourmet magazine) discuss the balance between being a CEO and entrepreneur.
Link
Secrets of Success
Seven famous entrepreneurs share the secrets of their success…and their mistakes. Wally Amos (Famous Amos Cookie Co.), Daymond John (FUBU), David Liu (The Knot), Jim Koch (The Boston Beer Co.), Liz Lange (Liz Lange Maternity), Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan (Method), and Gary Hirshberg (Stonyfield Farm) share what they learned the hard way in this article that appeared in USA Today.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/smAllBusiness/startup/week3-famous-founders.htm
Link
Even the Best Fail
Even Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, has had his share of failures. The article highlights the ten Apple products that didn’t make it.
http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/top_10_apple_products_which_flopped.php
Link
In the Beginning
Ten great entrepreneurs, including Gordon Segal (Crate and Barrel), Robert Redford (Sundance Institute), Mary Kay Ash (Mary Kay Cosmetics), and Jerry Yang (Yahoo!) talk about their start-up days in this slide show.
http://www.inc.com/ss/10-great-entrepreneurs-talk-about-their-start-days#0
Best in Class
Want to know the best of everything entrepreneurial? Check out these lists, articles, and slide shows. These are just a few of the many resources available. You may also find it helpful to do a Google search to read about successful entrepreneurs in your city.
- Top home-based businesses (slide show). http://www.inc.com/ss/11-businesses-you-can-start-your-pajamas-2009
- Best industries for starting a business (slide show). http://www.inc.com/ss/best-industries-for-starting-a-business#0
- Top green companies (slide show). http://www.inc.com/ss/2009-inc-500-top-green-companies
- Top ten Asian-run companies (slide show). http://www.inc.com/ss/2009-inc-500-top-10-asian-run-companies
- Top ten Hispanic entrepreneurs of 2009 (article). http://www.poder360.com/article_detail.php?id_article=2715
- Top ten black entrepreneurs (slide show). http://www.inc.com/ss/2009-inc-500-top-10-black-run-companies
- Top women entrepreneurs in tech (article). http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/132/the-most-influential-women-in-technology-the-entrepreneurs.html
- Top five business books for college entrepreneurs (article). http://www.college-startup.com/entrepreneur/top-5-business-books-for-college-entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurial Resources
No matter what stage you are in your entrepreneurial journey, there are resources to help you get to the next step. Table 15.1 "Entrepreneurial Resources" includes some of the best places to begin your research.
Table 15.1 Entrepreneurial Resources
| Resource Name and Web Site | Description |
|---|---|
| Government Resources | |
|
Small Business Development Centers |
1,100 branch offices of the Small Business Administration; provide free one-on-one counseling and other resources |
|
SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives) |
SBA partner; counselors to America’s small businesses; free one-on-one counseling and other resources |
|
SCORE Resources for Young Entrepreneurs |
Free tools and advice to start your journey |
|
Small Business Administration |
Free tools and resources for small businesses including online Start-up Assessment Tool |
|
United States Chamber Small Business Center http://www.uschambersmallbusinessnation.com/toolkits/start-up |
Arm of the United States Chamber of Commerce; comprehensive free resources for small businesses |
|
Government Resources for Small Businesses |
Free resources from the government to support small businesses |
| Trade Journals | |
|
Inc. magazine |
Online articles and hard copy magazine with news, tips, and insights for and about entrepreneurs |
|
Entrepreneur magazine |
Online articles and hard copy magazine with news, tips, and insights for and about entrepreneurs |
| Organizations and Networks | |
|
Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO) |
Online network and chapters throughout the United States |
|
Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) |
Online network and chapters throughout the United States |
|
Entrepreneur America |
Mentoring services for small businesses and start-ups |
|
Springboard Enterprises |
National nonprofit dedicated to accelerating women entrepreneurs |
|
Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (WEST) |
Nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs in science and technology |
| International Organizations | |
|
The Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE) |
International nonprofit for the advancement of entrepreneurialism |
|
International Council for Small Businesses |
Advancing entrepreneurship worldwide |
| Research and Resources | |
|
Kauffman Foundation |
Organization to connect entrepreneurs and provide resources |
|
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor |
Organization to connect entrepreneurs and provide resources |
| A Few Blogs and Twitter Posts Worth Reading | |
|
Guy Kawasaki |
Blog and microblog on entrepreneurial issues, tips, new technology, and more |
|
Seth Godin |
Entrepreneurial thoughts of the day |
|
Michael Simmons http://twitter.com/michaeldsimmons http://www.facebook.com/michaeldsimmons#/michaeldsimmons?v=wall |
Part motivation, part entrepreneurial insights |
|
Start-up Spark |
Daily insights on entrepreneurial businesses |
|
Mark Cuban |
Entrepreneurial insights from the owner of the Dallas Mavericks |
| Books | |
|
Guy Kawasaki’s books |
|
|
Seth Godin’s books http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=seth+godin&x=0&y=0 |
|
|
Jeffrey Gitomer’s books http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=jeffrey+gitomer&x=0&y=0 |
|
|
The best business books by entrepreneurs http://www.inc.com/multimedia/slideshows/content/ceo-bookshelf_pagen_1.html |
|
| Free and Low-Cost Business Tools and Software | |
|
10 Free or Cheap Tools for Start-ups http://www.inc.com/ss/10-free-or-cheap-tools-start-ups?nav=mostpopular#0 |
|
|
Great No-Cost Software http://www.inc.com/magazine/20090901/great-no-cost-software.html?nav=mostpopular |
|
| Miscellaneous (worth checking out) | |
|
How-to Guides for Start-ups |
|
|
E-commerce Starter Kit |
|
|
American Express Open |
Articles, videos, and forum for and about entrepreneurs |
Don’t stop here! Look up local entrepreneurial organizations and get involved. Meet people, learn the ropes, and share your passion. If you have the entrepreneurial spirit, go for it and enjoy the journey!