Startups are increasingly becoming the engine of innovation across all industries. We are living in an age where an entire generation of young entrepreneurs with different backgrounds and skill sets are coming together and collaborating with a desire to disrupt existing markets, challenge the status quo, replace the old with the new and, above all else, make the world a better place. Startups, however, are constantly facing the challenge of how to make an impact given their initial small size and limited resources. Nine out of ten startups fail, and more than fifty percent do not reach past the five-year mark. The few that do manage to survive can quickly find themselves swamped in the oversaturated market, unable to make any decent progress. So how can they establish themselves among their immediate competitors, let alone defeat larger, more established companies? Is the story of David and Goliath still relevant in the modern business world? Hence the need to write an engaging book that offers unique, viable solutions to all the problems small startups face especially in their early stages. This book provide practical teachings on how startups can strengthen their foundations, reach the pinnacle of the business world and, ultimately, become a virtuous leader of startups in the model of Machiavelli's "The Prince." What does a 500-year-old figure from history have to do with the world of startups? I first encountered Machiavelli in high school in Italy. At the time, he did not represent much more to me than just another part of my studies, but he came rushing back when I moved to the US to finish high school in a small town of Ohio. I used to talk to people who knew little about Italy, but who could still quote Machiavelli's most famous lines: "The end justifies the means" and "It is better to be feared than loved." Machiavelli seemed to be even more popular in America than in Italy. This triggered my curiosity and pushed me to do more research on him. I realized that throughout history, politicians, generals, philosophers and other leaders have all harnessed his philosophies in their own fields. He has also been criticized as being overly cynical, cruel or cutthroat. However, I think this is too dismissive and partial. Machiavelli was, more than anything, a pragmatic realist. He devoted himself to finding patterns in human nature and history, and was perfectly aware of what was ethical and unethical, encouraging aspiring leaders to reach their goals through "virtue"; to rely on hard work rather than luck; and to try to be loved rather than feared (while noting it is easier to be feared). He also understood that necessity and emergency compels leaders to make tough decisions. During my studies at Harvard Business School, I began to apply Machiavelli's principles to the business world, finding his teachings tremendously modern and useful for my own startup. I realized that as, a serial entrepreneur, I was already applying many of his tactics without even being aware of it. So I started decoding and adapting his writings to the world of startups, testing his teachings in the field. From this experience, and from Machiavelli's two most influential books "The Art of War" and "The Prince," came the idea for "The Art of Startups."

Startup money is moving online, and this guide shows you how it works. The Art of Startup Fundraising takes a fresh look at raising money for startups, with a focus on the changing face of startup finance. New regulations are making the old go-to advice less relevant, as startup money is increasingly moving online. These new waters are all but uncharted—and founders need an accessible guide. This book helps you navigate the online world of startup fundraising with easy-to-follow explanations and expert perspective on the new digital world of finance. You'll find tips and tricks on raising money and investing in startups from early stage to growth stage, and develop a clear strategy based on the new realities surrounding today's startup landscape. The finance world is in a massive state of flux. Changes are occurring at an increasing pace in all sectors, but few more intensely than the startup sphere. When the paradigm changes, your processes must change with it. This book shows you how startup funding works, with expert coaching toward the new rules on the field. Learn how the JOBS Act impacts the fundraising model Gain insight on startups from early stage to growth stage Find the money you need to get your venture going Craft your pitch and optimize the strategy Build momentum Identify the right investors Avoid the common mistakes Don't rely on the "how we did it" tales from superstar startups, as these stories are unique and applied to exceptional scenarios. The game has changed, and playing by the old rules only gets you left behind. Whether you're founding a startup or looking to invest, The Art of Startup Fundraising provides the up-to-the-minute guidance you need.

FROM ANDREW WARNER: I first interviewed Paul Graham after I heard something shocking from Alexis Ohanian, a founder whose company was funded by Graham's Y Combinator. Alexis came to Mixergy to tell the story of how he launched and sold Reddit. If you're a founder, you know the kind of problems that founders have, right? Figuring out what product to create, how to build it, how to get users to try it, etc. Well Alexis didn't seem to have those problems, or at least they weren't as challenging for him as they were for most of the other 600 entrepreneurs I interviewed on Mixergy. Why? Because Paul Graham helped him launch his business. How did Graham make Reddit's launch easier and more successful than other companies' founding? How did he do the same for hundreds of other startups? And, more importantly, what can you learn from his experiences to grow your business? The book you're holding has those answers. Use what you're about to learn to build your successful startup. After you do, I hope you'll let me interview you so other founders can learn from your experience, the way you're about to benefit from Graham's.

One of the start-up world’s most in-demand executive coaches—hailed as the “CEO Whisperer” (Gimlet Media)—reveals why radical self-inquiry is critical to professional success and healthy relationships in all realms of life. Jerry Colonna helps start-up CEOs make peace with their demons, the psychological habits and behavioral patterns that have helped them to succeed—molding them into highly accomplished individuals—yet have been detrimental to their relationships and ultimate well-being. Now, this venture capitalist turned executive coach shares his unusual yet highly effective blend of Buddhism, Jungian therapy, and entrepreneurial straight talk to help leaders overcome their own psychological traumas. Reboot is a journey of radical self-inquiry, helping you to reset your life by sorting through the emotional baggage that is holding you back professionally, and even more important, in your relationships. Jerry has taught CEOs and their top teams to realize their potential by using the raw material of their lives to find meaning, to build healthy interpersonal bonds, and to become more compassionate and bold leaders. In Reboot, he inspires everyone to hold themselves responsible for their choices and for the possibility of truly achieving their dreams. Work does not have to destroy us. Work can be the way in which we achieve our fullest self, Jerry firmly believes. What we need, sometimes, is a chance to reset our goals and to reconnect with our deepest selves and with each other. Reboot moves and empowers us to begin this journey.

EVERY ENTREPRENEUR NEEDS A HAPPY EXIT STRATEGY! 'So, what's your exit strategy?' The question often leaves most entrepreneurs stumped as running a business leaves little time to think about anything else. While business owners recognize that they may have to exit their business at some point, few give enough thought to how they will sell it. And fewer prepare for it. Invariably, when a prospective buyer appears or an offer is made, or when an unforeseen health or financial contingency arises, they scramble to respond. Even those rare entrepreneurs who have given thought to an exit often end up with seller's remorse. The Art of a Happy Exit helps entrepreneurs get prepared for all that selling their business entails. The book covers not just the Outside game-positioning, prospecting, finding professional partners, negotiating, structuring, and executing, but the critical Inside game-the mental and emotional preparation needed even while retaining customers, employees, and the business. K. Srikrishna tells the stories of twenty entrepreneurs from India and the United States who've sold their businesses to varying degrees of happiness. Between the stories, he lays out the typical steps involved in a business sale, each with its own practical checklist. The result is a book that will help you gain greater self-awareness of what you seek and how best to go about it, and ensure the happiness of all involved with the outcome.

Startups constantly face the challenge of how to make an impact given their initial small size and limited resources. Nine out of ten startups fail and more than fifty percent do not reach past the five-year mark. The few that do manage to survive can quickly find themselves swamped in the oversaturated market, unable to make any decent progress. So how can they establish themselves among their immediate competitors, let alone defeat larger, more established companies? Is the story of David and Goliath still relevant in the modern business world? “The Art of Startups” offers its readers unique and viable solutions to all the problems small startups face especially in their early stages. By the end of the book the reader will be able to apply effectively a new set of war strategies to break through into the market, to master new technologies and innovations, to negotiate fruitful alliances and, ultimately, to become a better leader.

Learn how to sell your startup from an acquisition expert Many entrepreneurs dream of the day their company is acquired and they secure a perfect exit. But information about the process of getting your business acquired usually comes from expensive investment bankers who typically advise late-stage startups. In Selling Your Startup, serial entrepreneur Alejandro Cremades delivers an accessible guide on how to sell your startup. With first-hand experience as a fully exited entrepreneur, investment banker, and lawyer, Cremades describes the tips and tricks startup founders need to sell their early-stage to growth-stage business. In this book, you’ll discover: The role that investment bankers play in the acquisition process, how they add value, and how to break down their fees Preparing your company for sale, including compiling a pitch book, putting its finances in order, and building a target list of potential acquirers How to get to a Letter of Intent, perform due diligence, and reach a purchase agreement Perfect for entrepreneurs of all kinds, Selling Your Startup is a must-have roadmap to the practical realities of company acquisition and contains proven guidance on crafting your perfect exit.

A new product, a new service, a new company, a new division, a new anything - where there's a will, Kawasaki shows the way with his essential steps to launching one's dreams.

Steve Hoffman, CEO of Founders Space, prepares entrepreneurs to avoid mistakes, overcome obstacles, and master the skills necessary to make the right choices along their path to success. The fact is, over 90 percent of all new startups fail. Every entrepreneur must face this harsh reality and learn to master it if they hope to survive and wind up on top. In Surviving a Startup, Hoffman brings readers on a wild ride, sharing with them the tumultuous journey of launching a venture-funded startup and revealing what it takes to make it. In this one-of-a-kind guide, you will learn: A deep analysis and insights into the major challenges every entrepreneur faces when launching a business. How to make the best possible decisions and deal with crisis situations. Strategies for raising capital and growing a business, even when it seems impossible. Secrets on how to manage difficult employees, demonstrate leadership, and overcome disasters. Essential traits that enable startup founders to survive and succeed. The best way to develop innovative products, conduct guerilla marketing campaigns, obtain PR, and outmaneuver competitors. How to recruit the best talent, manage highly efficient teams, and motivate employees, even with little to no money. The steps necessary to transform an idea into a robust, rapidly growing business. As the captain of one of the world's leading startup incubators and accelerators, Steve knows what it's like to be on the front lines, how tough it can get when the battle turns against the entrepreneur, and what it takes to taste victory and overcome seemingly impossible odds. Surviving a Startup is a must read for entrepreneurs considering taking the best first steps for a new venture.

Almost 10 years ago, I wrote a book entitled Start-up, what we may still learn from Silicon Valley. If I had to do a second edition, I don't think I'd change much despite all the flaws and blunders of the exercise. Yet one morning in February 2016, I had a look at ten years of supporting start-up entrepreneurs and decided to send again old and also new messages to those that the world of innovation and high-tech entrepreneurship puzzles or interests.