Not only do the authors reveal why the world is so completely screwed up, but they provide proven techniques for creative control of personal, social, and business problems. They analyze the reasons for human failure and tell how to achieve a state of well-being by avoiding that unwanted, ultimate promotion.Students of Freud, Potter, and Parkinson will be fascinated by this satirical examination of man's tendency to escalate himself to oblivion at his level of incompetence.

    But customers can be fickle, markets shift, and competitors are ruthless. So how do you ensure a steady flow of repeat business? The secret—no matter what industry you’re in—is finding and keeping automatic customers.These days virtually anything you need can be purchased through a subscription, with more convenience than ever before. Far beyond Spotify, Netflix, and New York Times subscriptions, you can sign up for weekly or monthly supplies of everything from groceries (AmazonFresh) to cosmetics (Birchbox) to razor blades (Dollar Shave Club).According to John Warrillow, this emerging subscription economy offers huge opportunities to companies that know how to turn customers into subscribers. Automatic customers are the key to increasing cash flow, igniting growth, and boosting the value of your company.Consider Whatsapp, the internet-based messaging service that was purchased by Facebook for $19 billion. While other services bombarded users with invasive ads in order to fund a free messaging platform, Whatsapp offered a refreshingly private tool on a subscription platform, charging just $1 per year. Their business model enabled the kind of service that customers wanted and ensured automatic customers for years to come.As Warrillow shows, subscriptions aren’t limited to technology or media businesses. Companies in nearly any industry, from start-ups to the Fortune 500, from home contractors to florists, can build subscriptions into their business.Warrillow provides the essential blueprint for winning automatic customers with one of the nine subscription business models, including:The Membership Website Model: Companies like The Wood Whisperer Guild, ContractorSelling.com, and DanceStudioOwner.com offer access to highly specialized, high quality information, recognizing that people will pay for good content. This model can work for any business with a tightly defined niche market and insider information.The Simplifier Model: Companies like Mosquito Squad (pest control) and Hassle Free Homes (home maintenance) take a recurring task off your to-do list. Any business serving busy consumers can adopt this model not only to create a recurring revenue stream, but also to take advantage of the opportunity to cross-sell or bundle their services.The Surprise Box Model: Companies like BarkBox (dog treats) and Standard Cocoa (craft chocolate) send their subscribers curated packages of goodies each month. If you can handle the logistics of shipping, giving customers joy in something new can translate to sales on your larger e-commerce site.This book also shows you how to master the psychology of selling subscriptions and how to reduce churn and provides a road map for the essential statistics you need to measure the health of your subscription business.Whether you want to transform your entire business into a recurring revenue engine or just pick up an extra 5 percent of sales growth, The Automatic Customer will be your secret weapon.

     They say you shouldn't ask your mom whether your business is a good idea, because she loves you and will lie to you. This is technically true, but it misses the point. You shouldn't ask anyone if your business is a good idea. It's a bad question and everyone will lie to you at least a little . As a matter of fact, it's not their responsibility to tell you the truth. It's your responsibility to find it and it's worth doing right .Talking to customers is one of the foundational skills of both Customer Development and Lean Startup. We all know we're supposed to do it, but nobody seems willing to admit that it's easy to screw up and hard to do right. This book is going to show you how customer conversations go wrong and how you can do better.

    What can it do for you?....

    Showing how salesforce.com not only survived the dotcom implosion of 2001, but went on to define itself as the leader of the cloud computing revolution and spark a $46-billion dollar industry, Benioff's story will help business leaders and entrepreneurs stand out, innovate better, and grow faster in any economic climate. In Behind the Cloud, Benioff shares the strategies that have inspired employees, turned customers into evangelists, leveraged an ecosystem of partners, and allowed innovation to flourish.

    And they often receive an incredible return on their investments. They’re angel investors, some of the most important—and least understood—players in business today, whose investments in startups exceed $20 billion per year. Many, if not most, of the world’s largest companies were originally funded by angels—companies like Apple, Microsoft, LinkedIn and Amazon.com.But until now, little has been written about these angels, due in part to their preference for anonymity. ANGEL INVESTING: The Gust Guide to Making Money and Having Fun Investing in Startups by David S. Rose provides an inside look at who these angels are, how they operate, and how anyone with six figures to invest can potentially generate annual returns of 25% while funding tomorrow’s industry leaders…and having a lot of fun in the process.In the past few years, angel investing has moved from an arcane, tiny backwater of the financial world to a business arena that receives coverage in mainstream newspapers and smash hit television shows such as ABC’s Shark Tank. Every year angels invest over $20 billion into startup companies in the US alone (and double that amount worldwide). Historically this been a virtually random activity, but over the past several years angel investing has begun to be recognized as a legitimate part of the Alternative Investments asset class. With a foreword by Reid Hoffman—co-founder of LinkedIn and a prolific angel investor himself—together with hard research studies and a host of stories from his personal experience as one of the world’s leading angels, Rose explains in this book precisely how angels and venture capitalists differ, describes proven ways for entrepreneurs to attract them, and provides all the relevant resources for investors to enter into the world of startup funding. Rose tackles all the challenging questions that have long confounded angel investors and the entrepreneurs seeking to attract them: • Who can be an angel…and who should be an angel?• Where do angels find hidden startup gems before the public hears about them?• How should an angel build a portfolio that can return 25% annually over a decade?• What is it like to lose all of an investor’s money? And, conversely, what does it feel like to invest in a failed startup as an angel investor? • What are some common mistakes that inexperienced angel investors make?Successful angels know that investing in entrepreneurial ventures is more than just providing money. ANGEL INVESTING is the first complete, up-to-date guide to the subject, including what angel investing is, how one gets started, how to find deal flow, evaluate opportunities, negotiate terms, join an angel group, structure investments, and work with venture capital funds. ANGEL INVESTING includes tools, tactics, and strategies for high-tech, low-tech, and every other kind of early-stage investing. Rose opens the doors to those angels who have limited experience, while augmenting the experience of seasoned investors. Entrepreneurs will gain access to the mind-set of winning angels, and learn how best to win them over, as well as finding information on how to value, structure and bring their companies to a successful exit.The combination of advancing technology, changing federal regulations, rapidly dropping startup costs and new online investment platforms means that it is now possible for any serious investor to undertake angel investing the right way—and that is what the book ANGEL INVESTING is all about.ABOUT DAVID S. ROSE:David S. Rose is an Inc. 500 CEO, serial entrepreneur and angel investor who has founded or funded over 90 pioneering companies. He has been described by Forbes as "New York's Archangel", by BusinessWeek as a “world conquering entrepreneur”, by Crain's New York Business as "the father of angel investing in New York", and by Red Herring magazine as “patriarch of Silicon Alley.”PRAISE FOR ANGEL INVESTING:"As an angel investor and a long-time fan of David S. Rose, I was delighted to hear he finally captured his wit and wisdom in the pages of a book. David is a born teacher — clear minded, witty and provocative, with amazing stories to illustrate every key idea and insight. Those gifts — as well as his unsurpassed knowledge of his field — are teaching me so much more about investing than I've learned over the years doing it! Read every page of Angel Investing."Barbara CorcoranReal Estate Mogul, Shark Tank star, Angel Investor“From the secret economics of angel investing and the best methods for finding and picking tomorrow’s big winners to proven techniques for adding value to any business you invest in, Angel Investing provides readers with everything they need to know to get started in this fascinating, fun—and lucrative—business arena.”David Bach#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Automatic Millionaire and Start Late Finish Rich, Angel Investor“This is the most comprehensive and readable guide to angel investing ever written. The chapter on valuation and expectations lays out a clear framework for understanding one of the least well-known pitfalls in the angel world. And its emphasis on creating a win-win relationship with the entrepreneur is at the heart of being a long-term successful angel—and continuing to see the best deal flow. I recommend this book to anyone even thinking about making or receiving angel investments.”Howard L. MorganFounding Partner, First Round Capital“The world of entrepreneurial startups is where the most exciting and creative action is happening in today’s business world, which is why I was a strong supporter of the JOBS Act of 2012. No wonder millions of people are wondering how they can get involved as investors. There’s no better place to start than by reading David S. Rose’s Angel Investing.”U.S. Senator Charles E. SchumerSenate Finance Committee“David S. Rose’s Angel Investing is the best book on early stage investing ever written. His method of step-by-step explanation is better than any I have read in 20+ years of professional angel investing. I will recommend this to every serious entrepreneur seeking investment as required reading before the effort.”Dave BerkusChairman Emeritus, Tech Coast Angels and Author of Berkonomics“Only an angel who has backed over 90 start-ups could possess the mastery to provide such illumination into our craft. David’s candor and insights will attract more investors to this entertaining and lucrative activity so essential to economic growth.”John HustonFounder & Manager, The OhioTechAngel Funds"Angel Investing is an engaging, easy read, full of real stories and hard numbers, actual cases and a whole lot of good advice. David S. Rose brings tons of real-world knowledge to the subject that makes this required reading for every new angel."Tim BerryAuthor of Business Plan Pro, Entrepreneur, Angel Investor"David S. Rose is one of the most insightful thinkers about the angel and venture investment markets. It's rare that an investment leader with so much experience and success takes the time to share (systematically!) his knowledge so openly. Whether you are new to angel investing or someone with lots of experience, you will learn a ton from reading this book."Marc BodnickCo-Founder, Elevation Partners“David S. Rose has distilled his vast knowledge into an easy to read yet comprehensive guide to angel investing. It is a must read for all angel investors as well as for entrepreneurs seeking angel financing.”Jeffrey SeltzerManaging Partner, Pierce Yates Ventures, Former Deputy Chairman, CIBC World Markets, Angel Investor"Anyone with a checkbook can be an angel investor, but it takes insight to do it well. David S. Rose has written a terrific new book that will help would-be angels make money, rather than lose it. From explaining the value of diversification, to tips on evaluating deals, to offering up plans to attract good deals, Angel Investing will help you move from a money-losing amateur to a money-making professional angel. And if you’re an entrepreneur looking for angel money, you should read this book too. It will help you understand what knowledgeable angels are seeking and how they will evaluate you."Scott ShaneAuthor of Fool’s Gold? The Truth Behind Angel Investing in America“The future of financial markets will be based on the democratization of capital, as the funding of innovation is no longer limited to large institutions and venture capitalists. Angel Investing is the definitive guidebook for visionary investors seeking to profit from the startups of today that will become the superstars of tomorrow. David S. Rose is both a brilliant futurist and an engaging, accessible writer, and his book reveals the secrets behind investing at the leading edge of technologies and markets."Faith PopcornFuturist, CEO and Author of The Popcorn Report

    These insights may shake your assumptions, but they'll help you reach the "ah-ha!" moments that inspire truly great products.Validate or invalidate your hypothesis by talking to the right peopleLearn how to conduct successful customer interviews play-by-playDetect a customer's behaviors, pain points, and constraintsTurn interview insights into Minimum Viable Products to validate what customers will use and buyAdapt customer development strategies for large companies, conservative industries, and existing products

    Software, the internet, and remote work have made it possible for entrepreneurs to start for free, make a customer of anyone, and grow a profitable, sustainable company from anywhere.Packed with hard-won, battle-tested lessons from Lavingia's own journey of building Gumroad, a platform for creators to sell their work, The Minimalist Entrepreneur teaches founders how to:- start then learn - build a community, then solve a problem for them - charge for something even before you've built anything - avoid running out of money and, more importantly, energy - run a tight ship amid the rise of the gig economy and remote work - own a business without it owning you back.The Minimalist Entrepreneur is the manifesto for a new generation of founders who would rather build great companies than big ones. This is essential knowledge for every founder aspiring to build a business worth building.

      Today, innovation is seen by business leaders and the media alike as the key to growth, a burning issue in every company, from startups to the Fortune 500. And in that space, Fahrenheit 212 is viewed as a high-performance innovation SWAT team, able to solve the most complex, mission-critical challenges. Under Mark Payne, the firm's president and head of Idea Development, Fahrenheit 212, since its inception a decade ago, has worked with such giants of industry as Coca-Cola, Samsung, Hershey's, Campbell's Soup, LG, Starbucks, Mattel, Office Depot, Citibank, P&G, American Express, Nutrisystem, GE, and Goldman Sachs, to name but a few. It has been praised as a hotspot for innovation in publications like Fortune, Esquire, Businessweek, and FastCompany.  What Drives Fahrenheit 212's success is its unique methodology, combining what it calls Magic--the creative side of innovation--with Money, the business side. They explore every potential idea with the end goal in mind--bringing an innovative product to market in a way that will transform a company's business and growth. In How to Kill a Unicorn, Mark Payne pulls back the curtain on how the company is able to bring more innovative products and ideas successfully to market than any other firm and offers blow by blow inside accounts of how they grapple with and solved their biggest challenges.

    There's a better opportunity waiting out there, and escaping from cubicle nation is easier than you think. Pamela Slim spent a decade traveling all over the country as a self-employed trainer for large corporations. She was surprised to find that many of the most successful employees at these companies harbored secret dreams of breaking out to start their own business. They would pull her aside after a meeting and whisper, "I would love to work for myself, but have no idea how to get started. How did you do it?" So Pamela started a blog-Escape from Cubicle Nation-to share her experience and advice. Soon, questions and stories poured in from corporate prisoners around the world. As her blog gained popularity, she also interviewed some of the brightest experts in entrepreneurship on topics from finance to branding to marketing via social networks. This book includes Pamela's very best material, based on thousands of conversations and reader submissions. It provides everything you'll need to consider before making a major change-not just the nuts and bolts of starting a business, but a full discussion of the emotional issues involved. Pamela knows firsthand that leaving corporate life can be very scary, especially if you have a family and other obligations. Fears and self-defeating thoughts often hold people back from pursuing an extremely gratifying solo career. Get ready to learn your real options, make an informed decision, and maybe, just maybe, escape from cubicle nation.

    The Startup Playbook will help them succeed. Going insider to insider with unprecedented access, New York Times bestselling author and Clickable CEO, David Kidder, shares the hard-hitting experiences of some of the world's most influential entrepreneurs and CEOs, revealing their most closely held advice. Face-to-face interviews with 40 founders give readers key insights into what it took to build PayPal, LinkedIn, AOL, TED, Flickr, and many others into household names. Special sections include topics ranging from how to select the right idea to pursue to finding funding and overcoming inevitable obstacles. In an economy demanding change, The Startup Playbook is the go-to for entrepreneurs big and small.

    The emergence of business “model” (not plan) courses, tools, and competitions are a step in the right direction. The focus of these new activities is engaging aspiring entrepreneurs in customer discovery and developing and testing a business model canvas.While this is a viable approach and valuable lesson in entrepreneurship education, business models only begin to take shape when a new venture idea is formulated. Customer discovery requires having a product or service concept in the mind of the entrepreneur. Without the idea for the product or service itself, no business model nor customer discovery can begin.It is this first step, the idea generation step, that the Opportunity Analysis Canvas fulfills. The Opportunity Analysis Canvas is an innovative tool for identifying and analyzing entrepreneurial ideas.

    “This is Steve Jobs. I saw your picture in a magazine a few years ago and thought we’d work together someday.” After Steve Jobs was unceremoniously dismissed from Apple, he bought a little-known graphics company called Pixar. One day, out of the blue, Jobs called Lawrence Levy, a Harvard-trained lawyer and executive to whom he had never spoken before, to persuade Levy to help him get Pixar off the ground. What Levy found was a company on the verge of failure. To Pixar and Beyond is the story of what happened next: how, working closely with Jobs, Levy produced and implemented a highly improbable plan that transformed Pixar into one of Hollywood’s greatest success stories. Set in the worlds of Silicon Valley and Hollywood, the book takes readers inside Pixar, Disney, law firms, and investment banks. It provides an up-close, firsthand account of Pixar’s ascent, how it made creative choices, Levy’s enduring collaboration and friendship with Jobs, and how Levy came to see in Pixar deeper lessons that can apply to many aspects of our lives.

    To make that move. To fulfill your vision. I want to take you closer to your goal, whether that be starting a billion-dollar unicorn, building a revolution, or just helping you better understand that change of any kind starts with you. You can be the Startup Hero. Startup Heroes are the ones that drive progress, and whether you bring us to another planet or make your neighborhood a nicer, happier place, you can become a Startup Hero. This book is the first step. It helps you take that first step. The step will be different for everyone. It might be to call that customer. It might be to draw up a design concept. It might be to talk to your boss. With this book, I hope to guide people to think big, drive change and go full speed ahead. I am giving them a pledge to do their work for good, and I am giving them some of the tools they need to accomplish their goals. This book is hard. It takes you through a variety of activities, questions, stories and challenges (even puzzles and poems) working both the right and left side of your brain and all the parts in between. The activities I propose are challenging and sometimes even embarrassing. The questions I ask are probing and provoking. The stories I tell are used as examples to guide you toward what I call Startup Heroism. So, why would you read this book? Well, I have worked for 30 years for entrepreneurs. I have supported, funded and coached Startup Heroes all my working life. And I have tested the concepts of this book on the students at Draper University and they have come out to be some of the most interesting, dynamic, and motivated people the world has ever seen. In fact, we have had about 1000 students from over 60 different countries come through the program at this writing, and they have started more than 300 companies! I wrote this book so that some of the thinking that I applied to Draper University could be spread wider, in hopes that these messages would reach other potential Startup Heroes (maybe you) who might make an impact on the world, be proactive about their work, or at the very least, improve their lives. So, I implore you. Read this book, try this book, do this book, play this book, absorb this book, experience this book. It might surprise you. It might thrill you. It might drive you. It might kill you. At the very least, I hope it will give you a perspective on how real progress is made, and at the very best, it might just change your life.

    Sutton addressed a taboo topic that affects every workplace: employees who are insensitive to their colleagues, corporate bullies, bosses who just don't get it, the kind of people who make you exclaim in exasperation, "What an asshole!"Now, in a definitive book that addresses this growing problem, Sutton shows you how you can work with unsavory people without becoming one of them yourself.