March 23, 2005

BOOK REVIEW: The Art of the Start

Title: The Art of the Start
Author: Guy Kawasaki
Tag-line: The time-tested, battle-hardened guide for anyone starting anything
Pages: 217
Dog-ear score: 41: 217 (18.89%)
Reviewer: Rich...!

I know I'm late with this review, but I'm writing it hoping to influence those of you that, like me, originally considered reading this book then decided against it. Please reconsider.

Firstly, I'd like to stress that this is not just a book for start-ups, I've owned Missing Link for 7 years, and I believe that many of the lessons are of even more value to me now than they would have been then (I was far too pig-headed to listen at 23 anyway). It is, as the author suggests, a book "for anyone starting anything".

There are three main reasons for my recommendation:

  1. This is the business book equivalent of related short stories. It's not one concept over-sold in 300 pages, it's 11 short stories of approx. 20 pages each. In some you will dog-ear 10-pages, in others just 1 or 2, but you'll never be bored.
  2. The book is filled with mini-chapters (even shorter stories) these cover topics from presentation, which I disagreed with, to better email use. These chapters alone are worth the price of admission.
  3. Guy Kawasaki writes really well, my favorite line in the book, "I'd rather be poor than play golf." Hell yeah!


Don't take my word for it though, head off to ChangeThis and download Guy's Art of the Start manifesto, or just watch this clip of Guy speaking, these will give you an idea of what your in for, but I personally can't recommend it enough.

Last word: Outstanding

Posted by Rich...! at March 23, 2005 09:28 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Hey Benjamin, The Missing Link url seems to be working now, however that's just a link to my company site. The link to the book "The art of the start" is at the top of the review...!

Posted by: Rich...! at March 23, 2005 10:42 PM

I'm starting my own company - a creative destination for brainstorming in Seattle... called the Idea Sandbox. I have use the heck out of this book. I just posted information on my site about it... and I had 34:217 - 15% dog-ear score!

Posted by: Paul Williams at March 23, 2005 11:42 PM
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