The Silicon Valley Way
Elton B. Sherwin Jr.
This is a fast read, organized as 44 very short chapters, each addressing
a different marketing question. There are lots of worksheets and pop
quizzes, and some very interesting observations (though nothing revolutionary).
Sherwin emphasizes that good business plans have short explanatory
statements, rather than being excessive and long-winded. Pick and
choose what you think is relevant to you. (Prima
Books, 1998)
Competing on Internet
Time
Lessons from Netscape and its Battle with Microsoft
Michael A. Cusumano and David B. Yoffie
The meteoric rise of Netscape is a story that everyone knows about.
But much of what we think we know is actually incorrect, and this
book sets the record straight. Netscape is often used as an example
of how companies can just spring from nowhere and, simply by being
in the right place at the right time, achieve astounding success.
But that's not what happened. Imaginative strategy, careful focus
and top-notch execution were, in fact, very much in evidence. (The
Free Press, 1998)
The Economist
www.economist.com
A subscription to The Economist should be part of every technology
entrepreneur's toolkit. And not because you need to know much about
political trends in Africa or rural development in Latin America,
although those topics are covered very well. This weekly is a must-read
because of the superb and insightful coverage of worldwide technology
trends from a business point of view. During the swelling of the dot-com bubble,
the Economist's somewhat cynical perspective provided a useful counterbalance to
the open enthusiasm of the new economy magazines, many of which have since folded.
www.entreworld.org
A useful source of articles, advice, and tips on growing your business,
this site searches the Internet to collect in one place the best
resources for entrepreneurs. It's a veritable smorgasbord of information.
finance.yahoo.com
The Yahoo business site is a great place for tracking the status
of the business world and keeping informed about what's going on
around you!
The Real Value of Strategic Planning
Sarah Kaplan and Eric D. Beinhocker
A great article that hits at the real reason strategic planning is useful.
These people speak our language! See an abstract or purchase online at:
http://smr.mit.edu/past/2003/smr4429.html
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Richard Bach and Russell Munson (photographer)
A very simple little story about a seagull who sets out to fly and soar higher than any other seagull.
The lesson? That it really is possible to aspire to anything, and that one is only limited by
self-imposed constraints. We create our own reality. This book is also available in audio cassette form.
(Reissue edition, Avon Publishing, 1995)