Book Recommendation: $100 Startup for Parents or Kids Starting a Business
maltmanjamie
Hi everyone, I know a lot of parents in the unschooling community
either have a business or would like to have a side business, and more
and more of the kids are starting up their own businesses as well, so I
thought this book recommendation would be appropriate for the list.
The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau goes on sale today. I had the
pleasure of meeting Chris when he came to Toronto for his Art of
Non-Conformity self-promotion book tour - I recommend that book and his
blog as well since we're all non-conformists here to a significant
extent - and he sent me a preview copy of his new book. After reading
it, I bought another copy to share.
As a Dad who has started several businesses in various industries over
the past 8 years, and whose family is currently supported by our
business efforts, this topic is near and dear to my heart. I wish I had
this book 8 years ago, and learned a lot from it that is still relevant
to my both my new business, my future business ideas, and my existing
business.
The book is not about Shark Tank or Dragon's Den style strike it rich
startup ideas to be the next Google, its about using the skills and
interests and resources you have right now to create a business that is
right for you and the life you want to live. While Chris has been
successfully self-employed for years now, and it has supported his
mission to visit all 175 UN recognized countries before he turns 35 (and
he's got about a dozen left for his last year) and is a wealth of
experience and ideas, that's not even the full power of the book. He
interviewed 1500 other entrepreneurs from all over the world in any
industry you could find, all of whom created a full time income of
$50,000 or more, and you get to learn from these case studies throughout
the book.
Of special note to us, two of the families featured are unschoolers who
now support themselves from their businesses, as well as other
momtrepreneurs. So while Chris doesn't have kids, the book certainly
shows the way for those of us that do.
Its very well written, edited and structured - and has great practical
tools and a companion website and supportive community around it. There
are specific templates for everything from your mission statement to
business plan to plans for sales offers, launch, and promotion. I've
never read a better book about starting a new business today, whether
online or very traditional or both.
I'd recommend it for all the parents out there who have a business
already, or have a business idea, or wish they could add some kind of a
side business to their family life to better support their unschooling
lifestyle. We chose to start businesses so that we could create the time
flexibility for us both to be at home with our little guys, and I know
that resonates with a lot of people.
I'd also recommend it even more strongly to any of your kids who have
business ideas, or are interested in understanding what it takes to
start up a business. One of these stories may inspire them to create
something amazing in their lives.
You can watch the video book trailer here:
http://youtu.be/xbwBboFr3fQ <http://youtu.be/xbwBboFr3fQ>
or read more about what Chris has to say here at the book website:
http://100startup.com/ <http://100startup.com/>
and please take the opportunity to meet up with him when he comes to a
city near you on his self-financed book tour on the tour page. I'll be
at the Toronto event again, and would love to meet you if you are too!
Cheers,
Jamie (the Dad)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
either have a business or would like to have a side business, and more
and more of the kids are starting up their own businesses as well, so I
thought this book recommendation would be appropriate for the list.
The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau goes on sale today. I had the
pleasure of meeting Chris when he came to Toronto for his Art of
Non-Conformity self-promotion book tour - I recommend that book and his
blog as well since we're all non-conformists here to a significant
extent - and he sent me a preview copy of his new book. After reading
it, I bought another copy to share.
As a Dad who has started several businesses in various industries over
the past 8 years, and whose family is currently supported by our
business efforts, this topic is near and dear to my heart. I wish I had
this book 8 years ago, and learned a lot from it that is still relevant
to my both my new business, my future business ideas, and my existing
business.
The book is not about Shark Tank or Dragon's Den style strike it rich
startup ideas to be the next Google, its about using the skills and
interests and resources you have right now to create a business that is
right for you and the life you want to live. While Chris has been
successfully self-employed for years now, and it has supported his
mission to visit all 175 UN recognized countries before he turns 35 (and
he's got about a dozen left for his last year) and is a wealth of
experience and ideas, that's not even the full power of the book. He
interviewed 1500 other entrepreneurs from all over the world in any
industry you could find, all of whom created a full time income of
$50,000 or more, and you get to learn from these case studies throughout
the book.
Of special note to us, two of the families featured are unschoolers who
now support themselves from their businesses, as well as other
momtrepreneurs. So while Chris doesn't have kids, the book certainly
shows the way for those of us that do.
Its very well written, edited and structured - and has great practical
tools and a companion website and supportive community around it. There
are specific templates for everything from your mission statement to
business plan to plans for sales offers, launch, and promotion. I've
never read a better book about starting a new business today, whether
online or very traditional or both.
I'd recommend it for all the parents out there who have a business
already, or have a business idea, or wish they could add some kind of a
side business to their family life to better support their unschooling
lifestyle. We chose to start businesses so that we could create the time
flexibility for us both to be at home with our little guys, and I know
that resonates with a lot of people.
I'd also recommend it even more strongly to any of your kids who have
business ideas, or are interested in understanding what it takes to
start up a business. One of these stories may inspire them to create
something amazing in their lives.
You can watch the video book trailer here:
http://youtu.be/xbwBboFr3fQ <http://youtu.be/xbwBboFr3fQ>
or read more about what Chris has to say here at the book website:
http://100startup.com/ <http://100startup.com/>
and please take the opportunity to meet up with him when he comes to a
city near you on his self-financed book tour on the tour page. I'll be
at the Toronto event again, and would love to meet you if you are too!
Cheers,
Jamie (the Dad)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
Thanks!
Holly (20) is looking ever more seriously into ideas involving small-venue music production and was asking me questions just yesterday that I couldn't answer. :-)
She's planning to take some business classes at the community college and has a boyfriend in a punk band. They go to small local shows three or four time a week, and she's fascinated by the buildings--some old industrial shops, some old storefronts, some residential houses--and how people decide what to do where, when and why.
Sandra
Holly (20) is looking ever more seriously into ideas involving small-venue music production and was asking me questions just yesterday that I couldn't answer. :-)
She's planning to take some business classes at the community college and has a boyfriend in a punk band. They go to small local shows three or four time a week, and she's fascinated by the buildings--some old industrial shops, some old storefronts, some residential houses--and how people decide what to do where, when and why.
Sandra