Ask an entrepreneur and they’ll tell you it’s not (just) about the money. It’s the thrill of seeing an idea turn into something workable, something people respond to. It’s the journey as much as the destination — and the journey is never smooth and easy. How I Built This draws from four years of talking to successful innovators and entrepreneurs on the NPR podcast of the same name. Host and author Guy Raz gets the people behind some of the biggest businesses out there — from Airbnb to Zappos to Shopify — to share their stories so we can all benefit from their years of hard work.
Taking what he’s learned, Raz wrote this densely example-rich guide to help anyone with the audacity to start their own business. Starting with finding your idea and working through fundraising and buzz-building, the book moves through what to do when it all goes wrong, and what to do when success starts to settle in. There’s even a chapter on how the simple (and free) act of being kind as a leader can sustain and grow a business. It’s a fascinating read if you’re not an entrepreneur, and probably a necessary read if you are. [via]
Disclosure: Clicking on these links and making a purchase may earn us a small referral fee, at no extra cost to you. Learn more here.