Tired of naysayers? Ready to take a career or business to the next level? The Risk Takers:16 Women and Men Share their Entrepreneurial Strategies for Success by Renee and Don Martin is an engaging book not just filled with stories, but practical insight into how these so-called instant successes decided not to listen to others but to trust their own judgment, and to not take NO for an answer (and it took many years for the success to be recognized by others). And it is not just about how entrepreneurs do it, but how anyone can apply these strategies for personal career growth.
The Risk Takers
With a simple set up, the book is comprised of 18 chapters: 16 dedicated to the 16 entrepreneurs, and of course a good introduction to the why of this book; and an excellent conclusion detailing a plan of "strategies for success," as well as to how to use the strategies presented.
The entrepreneurs were interviewed indepth by Renee and Don Martin. Each chapter starts off with a quote from the entrepreneur for that chapter; each chapter ends with a synopsis of what was followed from the "strategies for success" plan.
Success Strategies for Personal Career Growth
This is not a "do as I say" book, but could be considered a self-help book that points the way for readers to incorporate the success strategies into more than just career growth. Each story is not just filled with facts, ups and downs of the plan, but each is also entertaining in its own right.
The stories do not all pertain to the privileged, nor the downtrodden. Each person reached a climax within their personal and/or business life where a better solution could be seen. And each refused to accept the obstacles placed in their way – each found a way to climb that obstacle, not just circumvent it.
Strategies for Success Plan
More importantly though is how the "strategies for success" plan can be applied to personal careers, not just entrepreneurial enterprises. It's about learning to see things in a new light, not as "that's how it's always been done." The "strategies for success" plan consists of ten points; there's no real timeline for any of them, they do not have to happen in sequence (and not all happen either). For example, point 4 is "Go on a Treasure Hunt and Find an Underserved Niche". How appropriate for job seekers looking for work - stop just looking in the advertised web sites, or just looking at a pre-set category at the job site. Have financial or accounting skills? Look into management of a small company - handle/set up the accounting and manage the office. Look outside the box, and if there's nothing there, think of creating outside the box.
Readers may find it beneficial to first read the introduction and then read the chapter on "strategies for success" before going to the individual stories; it helps to put the examples into context for a personal career growth perspective.
Bottom Line
The Risk Takers:16 Women and Men Share their Entrepreneurial Strategies for Success by Renee and Don Martin is not just another book about others' success. It is about applying a strategy for success - be it for an entrepreneurship or personal career growth. A definite recommendation for anyone looking to get out of their own career rut.
Book courtesy of FSB Associates.
Reference:
Martin, Renee & Don. The Risk Takers:16 Women and Men Share their Entrepreneurial Strategies for Success. New York, NY USA: Vanguard Press, 2010.
Paym Bergson - Paym Bergson - freelance entrepreneur & career coach with extensive experience working in the educational/professional development ...
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