How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America [Hardcover]

Robert Jordan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 16, 2010

Inspired by Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, author Robert Jordan invited 45 of the most successful entrepreneurs from the American heartland to multi-author a book in 90 minutes. The goal was simple, to allow these founders to tell the world how they did it. This book provides a quick jolt of inspiration for anyone starting a new venture of undertaking a bold plan. The book can be read in two ways: as a fast read with advice and inspiring quotes from the founders, or as a more detailed discussion with the founders explaining in more detail as to how they hit their home runs. Founder Joe Mansueto shares how he started Morningstar in his apartment in Chicago Illinois and grew the company to serve 7 million customers. Raj Soin talks about founding MTC with $1,700 in Columbus Ohio, surviving without cash and eventually selling to BAE for $425 million. Rock Mackie, founder of TomoTherapy in Madison Wisconsin, had to lay off all his employees at launch but eventually went on to a billion-dollar IPO. They and many more founders share their secrets with the goal of encouraging the next generations of entrepreneurs. You don't have to wonder how these empires were built any more. These creators of $42 billion in value tell you their secrets in their own words.

Editorial Reviews

Review

There's no one better to write this book than Bob Jordan. He is a great entrepreneur in his own right. His book delivers to the reader the real mindsets, capabilities, wisdom and all the essentials for what it takes for great success as an entrepreneur. He gets it right from the horses' mouths. Take notes as you read. --Jim Camp, author, Start With No

About the Author

Robert Jordan is an Inc. 500 CEO who founded and published Online Access, the first Internet-coverage magazine in the world. After the sale of Online Access, Jordan launched two companies: RedFlash, an interim management team; and interimCEO/interimCFO, the worldwide network for interim, contract, and project executives. Jordan received his bachelor s degree from the Honors College at the University of Michigan and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: RedFlash Press (November 16, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615385435
• ISBN-13: 978-0615385433
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 9.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Robert Jordan is an Inc. 500 CEO who founded and published Online Access, the first Internet-coverage magazine in the world. After the sale of Online Access, Jordan launched two companies: RedFlash, an interim management team; and interimCEO/interimCFO, the worldwide network for interim, contract, and project executives. Jordan received his bachelor's degree from the Honors College at the University of Michigan and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for the entrepreneur's library, March 5, 2011

By 

Karim "coolreem" (Raleigh, NC, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America (Hardcover)

This book is a collection of the questions and answers that entrepreneurs all ask from time to time answered by multimillion producing entrepreneurs. How did you start? When did you know it was time to leave your job? How did you make it? What mistakes did you make? What advice would you give to a new entrepreneur? If you could start over, what would you do different? Tell me about your experience. I found this book to be one of the best books in my library.

I read from it everyday because it gives me motivation to keep going. The biggest thing I learned from reading the advice of multimillionaires is start where you are with your vision. All of these people started wherever they were (broke or had investors) and never gave up on their dream. If you are an entrepreneur and you don't have this book, you will do your self a disservice.

Book: The font is nice and clear. The layout is eye catching and marketable. The text is so friendly that you can scan the pages and find what you need quickly. It is made to be either read or scanned for the answers you are looking for. A famous self help saying is, "if it is already done, then all you have to do is find out what others did to get the result and get busy doing the same thing." Here is the result. Get busy!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Heartland Triumph, April 11, 2011

By 

Aurora Reinke "sunriz" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America (Hardcover)

It was very refreshing to read all of these stories of Midwest entrepreneurs. This would be a great read for those on the coasts who are committed to a well-rounded view of entrepreneurship and high-growth ventures, as well as those in the heartland who feel the only place they can succeed is elsewhere. As an entrepreneurship professor, I especially enjoyed how page after page, these founders exemplified much of what is taught in the classroom. This book will be a great supplemental/case study read for my students.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How They Did it: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America, April 8, 2011

By 

Wisenooty - See all my reviews

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This review is from: How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America (Hardcover)

This Book is Awesome!!! This book gives amazing detail and insights on businesses from the owners point of view. The Business Owners talks about their ups and downs and struggles they overcame while eduring there ventures. My only knock on the book is that they could have given just a little more advice for startups and less more info on their businesses. This is very important because a lot of new business owners like myself look for advice especially from the highly successful business owners who overcame what were going through.