Entrepreneurial Spirit

The Risk Takers Book Review

The Risk Takers: If small business has long been the backbone of America's success, then the entrepreneurs responsible for the startups are the backbone of small business. Their spirit, their challenges, their successes are what big successful dreams are made of.

Entrepreneurs take high risks for ideas that they believe in and that they know will benefit society in some way. A new book, The Risk Takers (Vanguard Press, 2010) by Renee and Don Martin profiles 16 entrepreneurs and their strategies for success.

The Great American Dream

Creating a successful company, being one's own boss, and of course making money are all part of the American dream. The authors tell readers they wrote the book in an effort to remind everyone of the "power of the entrepreneurial spirit, the promise of the American dream."

That spirit is more important than ever because of the challenges of today's economic challenges. Martin relates stories of several major companies that were started during the Great Depression including Ocean Spray, Hewlett-Packard, and Disney Studios.

The Sixteen Entrepreneurial Stories

There are profiles of sixteen entrepreneurs including the author's story and among others:

• Gary Heavin of Curves International
• Paul Orfalea of Kinko's
• Robert Stephens founder of Geek Squad
• Barbara Corcoran from The Corcoran Group
• Sara Blakely of Spanx fame

It was a pleasure to read some of these profiles, some of which are not profiled very often but have great success stories. All of these small business, gone big business, founders started by recognizing a need. Then they fought against all types of odds such as no financing to provide a solution.

Small Business Outlook for 2010

The timing for this book is great. In January 2010, The Wall Street Journal reported that the outlook for startup business remains bleak and uncertain for the upcoming year. Lack of financing is the biggest challenge small business and startups face for the foreseeable future.

History has proven again and again that small businesses have brought about economic recovery. As such, it is vital that the entrepreneurial spirit be encouraged and supported.

Paul Orfalea, founder of Kinko's, in effect told the author's, that attitudes define altitudes. Think it can be done and it will, think it can't be done and it will fail. These 16 people have overcome learning disabilities, skepticism, no money, and no investors among other adversities to succeed.

Risk Takers Book

The book is 279 pages of inspiration and entrepreneurial perspiration. As a free enterprise country, this book carries good examples and a good message of perseverance and determination, two of the top skills needed for business success.