Before you Begin, Read the $100 Startup

One of my favorite pastimes is reading. When I’m not looking for the next compelling detective novel, I’m searching for great books about business. Lately, I’ve been reading – or in some cases skimming – books about being an entrepreneur. For me, a successful entrepreneur has a strong dose of curiosity, thrives on innovation, and is willing to take risks. But most important, an entrepreneur is always looking for new product ideas.

A book I really enjoyed is The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau. It’s an easy to read account of the actual experiences of many budding entrepreneurs. Guillebeau has many points to make, but here are a few that really struck me:

• You don’t need a lot of money to start a business.
• You don’t need a formal business plan.
• You don’t need to do a lot of things that conventional wisdom tells you to do.
• What you do need is a product you love and a customer who is willing to pay you for it.

Basically, his premise is that most of the stuff we do when starting a business isn’t necessary. In the startup phase, all that you really need is a good product and customers to buy it. Over time, all the rest of the ‘stuff’ will take care of itself.

I couldn’t agree more. This book is well worth reading.

- barney