I have been asked to review books before, but Robert Tuchman's Young Guns is the first book that had a message that matched the themes of Sophisticated Finance. The book is a well written combination of practical advice and "how to" guide to starting your first business. The book is based on Robert's own experience in building his successful sports marketing company but also uses examples from many other entrepreneurs that Robert interviewed.
The overriding theme of the book is plan from the beginning to build a large company. Why waste your passion and your dream on something small! The chapter on the priorities of the first year startup is an excellent "to do" list even for experienced entrepreneurs.
A few quotes from the book demonstrate Robert's thinking on startups (and why I liked the book):
- "A successful business requires that its leaders learn a great deal, and keep on learning over time."
- "Expressing passion for what you do as an entrepreneur is not just your right--it's what you do for a living!"
- "If you think you alone can take your company to the next level of its growth...you have to learn to let go and let others succeed."
While the book is not a text book, It would make a good introductory reading in an entrepreneurship course at the college or high school level.
Robert's guest post on Sophisticated Finance is here.
Miami, FL