Strategic Entrepreneurism: Shattering the Start-Up Entrepreneurial Myths

This is an awesome book, and I wish I had read it long ago before I co-founded a couple of technology companies. This book is equally valuable to product marketing managers and marketing managers as they assess their markets, and seek to fill the gaps in their offerings. The biggest premise, and perhaps the best advice is to flip the notion that you need to invent a product or a service FIRST before you find a market. Instead, identify "Holy Grail" types of problems to solve, then find a strategic customer and help them solve that problem. They will help you get the product right with a minimal amount of rework. This premise is pretty much worth the price of the book and the rest of Jon's advice is gravy.

Being an inventor/entrepreneur is not only creating a new product/service for the marketplace, but also involves devising a new business model to commercialize on that effort. Since most start-ups have visions of grandeur, you must follow your own path to get the attention of the business community. Most of the time you work in a vacuum, wondering if any of it makes sense. However, after reading Strategic Entrepreneurism, I felt I was reading the official rules or bible on how to proceed. Jon Fisher outlines and defines the steps, procedures and potential outcome on how to present yourself to the marketplace and what to do when a potential suitor comes along. The book give perspective on methods, opportunities for small businesses and insight on what a larger company would get out of the acquisition. Additionally, the idea of strategic customers, when done correctly provides not only revenue, but makes your company so much more valuable. In the current uncertainty of the business environment, this book provides concrete alternatives to commercialize on your entrepreneurial dreams. Brett Stern, president Beer Chips®

Strategic Entrepreneurship does an amazing job of implicitly describing the new way to launch a venture. I am currently launching a high tech business and the info was amazing. I found myself scribbling notes on how the advice related to my business and came away with some great ideas. It was a quick read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I only wish I would have read it a little sooner when we were still in the planning stages!

Coming from the Entrepreneurship Program at Columbia Business School and the Computer Science Program at Brown University, I would highly recommend this book to anyone considering a career in entrepreneurship, especially high tech entrepreneurship. In fact, I even bought a second copy for my brother. One reason for the failure of many entrepreneurs is that their analysis of the business opportunity stops with an over-optimistic market survey. Strategy often takes a back seat to more immediate considerations such as cash flow and product development. The irony is that it is even more important for small ventures to build in strategic considerations into every move in order to maximize the chances of future viability. Fisher insightfully discusses issues such as making the correct value proposition, positioning yourself when you're the little guy, increasing your value simply through optimal strategic moves, how to analyze funding issues, creating a realistic exit strategy, and etc.... I found that the author's personal experience in dealing with these situations added quite a bit to the book by allowing him to give practical advice. Another implication of Fisher's recommendation to target being acquired as opposed to an IPO is that it reduces the risk of entrepreneurship to a much more tolerable level. I would also recommend this book to those who have strong technical skills in computer science, engineering or other sciences but no current entrepreneurial plans because of risk aversion.

In 156 easy to read pages Strategic Entrepreneurism gives you a blue print to develop a business that will serve a need and earn you good money. If you have an idea for a business or you are searching for one or you are a current business owner or manager Strategic Entrepreneurism is a must read. The information in this book will help you focus on making sure there is a strong market for your company's product and keep you focused on the goal of running a profitable company.