Birthing the Elephant: The Woman's Go-For-It! Guide to Overcoming the Big Challenges of Launching a Business [Paperback]

Karin Abarbanel (Author), Bruce Freeman (Author), Bobbi Brown (Foreword)

Book Description

Release date: March 1, 2008

Customized for the female entrepreneur's unique psychological experience of launching a business, BIRTHING THE ELEPHANT goes beyond logistics to prepare women for the emotional challenges they will face, with expert advice on reshaping one's business identity, giving up the paycheck mentality, anticipating problems, and avoiding costly mistakes. This supportive handbook gives the small-business owner the staying power to survive and succeed in the business of her dreams.

A female entrepreneur's guide to navigating the psychological aspects of launching and building a business during the critical first 18 months.

Women-owned businesses are increasing at twice the rate of other startups, with 500,000 launches each year.

With a foreword by cosmetics guru Bobbi Brown.

ReviewsRead all about it on: http://news.shelf-awareness.com/nview.jsp?appid=411&j=535397#2499225-Shelf Awareness"...emerging entrepreneurs will find advice that's worth the price of the book alone."-Booklist"This positive and practical guide for the first-time entrepreneur details the life cycle of a small-business launch with real-life stories and a slew of helpful hints and strategies."-Publishers Weekly PW and AARP's Roundup of Spring Books for Baby Boomers 4/15/08It's main segment on the page this week "Cash Flow: Subbing Brains fro Cash" featuring a contributor to the book and Karin plus, if you click on "small business: view all videos," you can see Karin's sole interview from the week before: "Cash Flow: 4 Spending Mistakes"-SmartMoney TV"With the number of women-owned businesses growing in the U.S. at the rate of one every 60 sconds-roughly 600,000 launches a year, according to the authors-the audience for this positive, cheerful, practical book should be substantial."-Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starting your own business is tough, but learning to think like an entrepreneur is half the battle, say small-business consultants Abarbanel and Freeman. Part portable success coach, part step-by-step guide through the life cycle of a small-business launch, the book presents real-life stories—from the famous, such as makeup entrepreneur Bobbi Brown and stylish maternity-wear pioneer Liz Lange, to startups in the worlds of baking, filmmaking and high tech software. A great deal of space is given to tools for developing the emotional mind frame to succeed outside the comfort of the traditional workplace, and the authors devote particular attention to commitment, courage, persistence and other traits. Later chapters delve into the nitty-gritty of asset assessment, money management, support systems, success strategies and common pitfalls. This information is backed up with handy chapter-closing quick tips, checklists, action steps, real-life examples and a helpful resource guide. With the number of women-owned businesses growing in the U.S. at the rate of one every 60 seconds—roughly 600,000 launches a year, according to the authors—the audience for this positive, cheerful, practical book should be substantial. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The ability to understand and manage emotions is, most probably, the best way to describe Abarbanel and Freeman’s book. They identify four stages of birthing a business: starting your start-up; running your own show; achieving breakthrough; and finding your business rhythm. Yet what they concentrate on is each stage’s feelings and coping strategies. The authors are bluntly honest: expect self-doubt, performance anxiety, and a lack of a life outside of eating-working-sleeping. At the same time, emerging entrepreneurs will find advice that’s worth the price of the book alone, from relying on mentors to nurturing your private life. Identifying and avoiding pitfalls, such as romanticizing being your own boss and not trusting your gut, enable women to sidestep potential issues. --Barbara Jacobs

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (March 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580088872
• ISBN-13: 978-1580088879
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,201 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Business & Investing > Women & Business
  • #65 in Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > New Business Enterprises

More About the Author

Karin is an entrepreneur, author, and an expert on start-up strategies. She has a warm, can-do speaking style and a passion for helping women realize their dreams. A small-business owner herself, she started her own solo communications firm in the 1990s and knows firsthand the demands involved. Her goal as a speaker: to inspire and arm women emotionally for the ups and downs they'll face on the road to entrepreneurial freedom.

She is the co-author of Birthing the Elephant: the woman's go for it! guide to overcoming the big challenges of launching a business (Ten Speed Press). Part success coach, part action guide to the first 22 months of a start-up, it takes women step by step through the launch cycle, showing them smart moves to make and pitfalls to avoid.

Karin was selected by Avon as spokeswoman for its "Corporation to Cottage" program. She has appeared on TV and radio as a guest expert - and been featured on ABC TV's "Good Morning America," CNBC, WCBS, Smart MoneyTV, and the Joan Hamburg Show.

Karin speaks and writes widely on small-business issues and has appeared at forums including AWED's Women in Business Conference, Women Inc., the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), Equitable Life, the NY Institute of Technology, Babson College, and Columbia University.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for men entrepreneurs, but made (written) for women by a woman. TwoThumbsUp! March 16, 2008

By Jeff Lippincott VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I liked this book a lot. I regularly keep my eye out for new books for women entrepreneurs. Many of them I don't particularly like. However, this one is a good one in my humble opinion. It has the following chapters:

1. Design your destiny
2. Real stories behind real startups
3. Substitute brains for bucks
4. Take the leap
5. Stage 1 - Start your startup
6. Stage 2 - Run your own show
7. Stage 3 - Turn breakdowns into break throughs
8. Stage 4 - Find your business rhythm
9. Avoid the 10 biggest pitfalls
10. Welcome to the new life

This book includes pointers and actions items to help the woman entrepreneur succeed in business. It also includes the following list of 10 regarding pitfalls women (and men) tend to fall prey to when starting their own company:

>>Romanticizing being your own boss
>>Not getting the right help early
>>Not understanding how to network
>>Running yourself ragged
>>Spending money for the wrong reasons
>>Not valuing your time highly
>>Not pricing properly
>>Spending too much on advertising
>>Not trusting your gut
>>Not thinking enough about the big picture

Most of these things can be avoided if the entrepreneur does the necessary research and planning BEFORE attempting to start their business. The author makes it clear that she believes that writing a sound business plan is a necessary step for any businessperson to do before they start their business. Since I am a firm believer in business plans, I highly recommend women entrepreneurs add this book to their reading list. 5 stars!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for people getting started. March 27, 2008

By Flo

Format:Paperback

I really liked this book not just because it had good information and made me re-think some of my business strategies, but because the successful women the authors interviewed had such inspiring stories that they inspired *me* all over again. Starting any sort of a business is tough, as I am finding out, and sometimes you just need to be reminded that success is not just possible, but likely if you go about it the right way. Highly recommended.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Different than any start-up biz book I have read July 26, 2008

By Jennifer Chaky

Format:Paperback

I read a stack of books when starting my retail business, but there is something different (and more helpful) about Birthing the Elephant. BTE reflected exactly not only what I was going through but MY FEELINGS BEHIND IT ALL! I was on an emotional roller coaster getting my business off the ground (still am :o), and at times I felt this made me unqualified at attempting to do what I was doing. But BTE helped me see that I was not alone, and actually, I was very normal. No other book talks about this other side of self-businesshood, which in a way is a lot like parenthood. It's ok to be emotional in business, we are human after all. BTE is a wonderful guide to help you navigate through it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The essence of entrepreneurship February 20, 2008

By Ronnie Fliss

Format:Paperback

"Birthing the Elephant" captures the essence of starting a new venture - that roller coaster ride of emotions and the exhiliration of being one's own boss. The stories that these women tell are striking in their similarity. I never realized that there was a blueprint and timetable in entrepreneurship. I wish I had had this information when I started.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars #1 on your business to-do list should be to READ THIS BOOK December 10, 2010

By Lucy

Format:Paperback

Birthing the Elephant tracks the process of starting up and launching an enterprise. In doing so, the authors talked to dozens of women entrepreneurs from all over America. Being from Australia, this was not a big concern of mine because the trials, tribulations and breakthroughs faced by these women will be the same regardless of the locality of your enterprise. It was such an inspirational read and I have well and truly caught the itch to start my business as soon as possible.
Don't expect step by step instructions on writing a business plan or managing your budget - this book is more about getting the right frame of mind for dealing with the tough yet fulfilling time that is ahead for all women starting their own business.
It's a must-read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read! April 9, 2008

By Daniel P. Kustka

Format:Paperback

I read Bruce's weekly ask a small business professor article. I must say, each week Bruce offers fantastic information on how to successfully run and manage a small business. Naturally, when I saw his name on the book I felt inclined to read it from being a fan of his syndicated article. Boy was I happy I did. In the book Bruce does a fantastic job of encouraging women and men on how to start up a small business and successfully operate it. Keep up the good work Bruce.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Advice and tips to get your business started up March 10, 2008

By Rae

Format:Paperback

This book is great because it helped inspire me to get motivated to start up my new business venture. The book has useful concrete examples, quick tips and pitfalls to avoid for new startup entrepreneurs. Well worth the small investment for good startup advice and advice while running the show!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gave me the confidence to launch March 11, 2008

By S. Ziss

Format:Paperback

I found this book to be very helpful and inspiring. After being tired of being retired, I want to begin my own business, but didn't know where to start. Birthing the elephant gave me confidence and guidelines to go ahead with my ideas. Very interesting read.