Reality Check, by Guy Kawasaki, delivers a compressed entrepreneurial manual for getting that new business idea up and running. It’s more about the people side of business than the nuts and bolts – and that’s OK. There are a lot of manuals out there to talk about how and when to get an assumed business name and how to attack taxes – but few that will sit down with you over a cup of coffee and talk about the difficulties of striking out on your own – and there are even fewer that cover this much ground. Kawasaki balances his perspective with more than a few interviews – and includes counterpoint – knowing that there’s no single formula to building a successful business. There’s not a lot of detail – but it could help you point to gaps that you’d like to read more about later.
The book weighs in at 461 pages – and if there were ever a “quick” 461 pages – this is it. The bite sized chapters (all 94!) will slide into all but the busiest schedules. If you’re on the fence about this book – head on over to Kawasaki’s blog – and check out some of his other writing.
Chapters that popped out at me – in no particular order – include:
- Making the Transition from the Corporate to Nonprofit World
- The Art of Intrapreneurship
- The 10/20/30 Rule of Pitching
- How I Built a Web 2.0, User-Generated-Content, Citizen Journalism, Long-Tail, Social-Media Site for $12,107.09
- The Art of Branding
- The Art of Blogging
You may have heard of Truemers (now called “Now Public”) and Alltop – both Kawasaki startups. In fact – Camera 47 can be found listed on the Alltop photography page.
Bottom line – if you’re thinking about starting a business – including a photography business – you might consider getting yourself a copy.
