The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything | 
 enlarge | Author: Guy Kawasaki
Publisher: Portfolio Hardcover
Category: Book
List Price: $26.95
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Rating:  176 reviews
Sales Rank: 821
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 240
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.1
ISBN: 1591840562
Dewey Decimal Number: 658.11
EAN: 9781591840565
ASIN: 1591840562
Publication Date: September 9, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
What does it take to turn ideas into action? What are the elements of a perfect pitch? How do you win the war for talent? How do you establish a brand without bucks? These are some of the issues everyone faces when starting or revitalizing any undertaking, and Guy Kawasaki, former marketing maven of Apple Computer, provides the answers. The Art of the Start will give you the essential steps to launch great products, services, and companies whether you are dreaming of starting the next Microsoft or a not-for-profit that s going to change the world. It also shows managers how to unleash entrepreneurial thinking at established companies, helping them foster the pluck and creativity that their businesses need to stay ahead of the pack. Kawasaki provides readers with GIST Great Ideas for Starting Things including his field-tested insider s techniques for bootstrapping, branding, networking, recruiting, pitching, rainmaking, and, most important in this fickle consumer climate, building buzz. At Apple, Kawasaki helped turn ordinary customers into fanatics. As founder and CEO of Garage Technology Ventures, he has tested his iconoclastic ideas on real- world start- ups. And as an irrepressible columnist for Forbes, he has honed his best thinking about The Art of the Start.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 171 more reviews...
 Old motivation September 5, 2008
L. E. Malka
This book is very well written. It is concise, very low on fluff, and great for intuitive people. It gives you motivation and the feeling of - "YEAH! I can do it!". But there is a huge piece missing - people. In today's world, businesses do not have 3 employees. They have 3000. The foundation for a successful business is its people, and the book does not say anything about how to make sure that the people in the organization remain productive and happy. Instead, the book promotes the approach that, if you encourage and inspire your employees, then they will make a great team. This is absolutely wrong, as was pointed out by the pioneer of Management, Peter Drucker ("Inside the Guru Mind"). If you are serious about building an organization that people call home, then this book will not lead you there.
Another big issue that I had with this book, is that the Author says that to create a successful business you need to create meaning and want to do something good for others. But what is wrong about loving to be a manager? wanting to create wealth that you could than give to others? What about the personal goals? I think that an entrepreneur will be much more successful if they start the business because they understand the personal meaning of their business.
I think that the author is a really nice guy, but as the say goes: "Those who can, do; Those who cannot do, teach; And those who cannot teach- teach gym" (no offense to gym teachers).
 Great book for startups August 27, 2008
L. Schweitz (Denver, CO USA)
I had a chapter preview of this book before I purchased it. Guy was able to cover a lot of necessary ground for startups and some things that he has learned along the way with various startups and his current venture capital company, Garage.com.
I was able to glean some good advice for my startup from this book, including some do's and don'ts.
Invaluable reference tool for anyone considering a startup June 19, 2008
A. Laurence Gutierrez (Central Valley, CA U.S.A.)
This book is great for anyone who has been toying with the idea of starting their own business.
I've been kicking around the idea of opening a pub in my city for a few years now. Since real estate has slowed so greatly in recent months (my current career) it has occurred to me that my passionate desire to open a pub should be more seriously explored.
"The Art of the Start", although not concentrating on pub opening, (How many books actually do?) does provide boatloads of useful information that any entrepreneur, no matter the business, can use. Guy Kawasaki informs and reforms ideas and misconceptions I've had about starting my own business, all in a very "Guy Kawasaki" way. It should also be noted that the foundation for his success plan seems to me to be one of a high standard of ethics and selflessness. I can honestly say that its contents have truly lit a fire in me to pursue my dream.
Now that I finished the book I will be recommending it to my mother who currently has a new business of her own. She'll have to buy her own however, mines not going anywhere.
brilliant guidelines for starting your business May 28, 2008
Eugene Mirkin (Silicon Valley, CA USA)
I was somewhat skeptical when I started this book. Though attracted by the author's reputation, I was afraid to find this book yet another shallow collection of information for dummies. I was wrong. The author wastes no time on pontification but rather noninvasively shows what's important and why. Whether to use the technique is then up to the reader. And he does that in a concise and entertaining manner. Most concepts discussed in the book are quite simple and are common sense (as one would expect), but it is nevertheless helpful to have them all together for a solid full picture.
Start Your Business Right April 11, 2008
Jerry Sanchez (New York)
Guy Kawasaki is a legend in Silicon Valley and demonstrates why entrepreneurs do whatever they can to meet with him in this book. Whatever type of business you are looking to start - whether it's a service or a product - there is some practical advice in this book for you from someone who has been on both sides of the table. For anyone starting a business, however, this should only be one source of guidance and encouragement, as there are many other great books out there regarding how to get a business up and running. But few of them are as engaging or entertaining to read as The Art of the Start.
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