Leaping into Entrepreneurship

 Wickman provides tools, assessments, schedules/plans for the entrepreneur who’s in the midst of launching, failing to see it grow or just contemplating launching a business. This book will guide many in what it takes to start and grow. He doesn’t deal with the nuts and bolts—like registering an LLC with the state and federal governments or drafting contracts—but provides written mentoring in the book and on the website.

Self-proclaimed entrepreneurs, like Wickman, try to distinguish themselves from “mere” business owners or the self-employed lifestyle business starters who use subcontractors. He, as well as the author of “The Entrepreneurial Brain,” describe themselves as ADD/ADHD, school dropouts and discontent with the status quo. They disciple themselves after others like Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, et al. When Jeff Hays in “Entrepreneurial Brain” says you need to be wired a certain way, Wickman doesn’t but does describe the passion and drive and other traits he believes are necessary to succeed. 

Contrast this approach to David Sax’s “Soul of an Entrepreneur” which celebrates those who have maintained a business for decades, even generations, sometimes without growth, sometimes launching out of necessity. Where half (or more) business fail in the first five years and most don’t survive the 2nd generation from the founder, Wickman fails to differentiate the ability to launch and grow a business from launching and surviving/thriving of a business beyond expectations. Does that take a different kind of person than an “entrepreneur” or are all people who start businesses or significantly grow an established business entrepreneurs?

This book, like his earlier one “Traction,” is a replete with checklists, worksheets and lists. He summarizes surveys of self-selected entrepreneurs as to what they would do differently and what they did to succeed. While his books are good, it’s a little off-putting to see so many in the recommended reading list. He does provide a nice summary and roadmap of the tools in the back. Unlike “Traction” whose tools and techniques were described in a different order than they would be used, Wickman puts these tools in order. Like “Traction,” the information in this book will not be new or striking for anyone who has been entrepreneurial: for example, one of his pieces of advice is not to only test market your product and service with friends and family—advice given to many entrepreneurs by their mentors.

For those thinking of starting a business, this book is highly recommended and a quick read and you’ll probably refer to it a lot in your entrepreneurial journey.