Launch Fever: An entrepreneur's journey into the secrets of launching rockets, a new business and living a happier life. [Paperback]

Tim Taylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 3, 2003

Tim Taylor's story is not simply that of a single individual, but a metaphor for an era that took us to the moon. Launch Fever is an inspiration not only to the rocket scientist but also to every entrepreneur starting or dreaming of starting his or her own company. The story covers both the Challenger and Columbia disasters with fascinating detail. This is a motivating insiders look at the kind of struggles that lie ahead (or behind) for every entrepreneur. Come face to face with the harsh realities and difficult decision of letting go the security of 9-5 to pursue a dream as Tim Taylor discovers the spark of enlightenment, which propels him into the world of entrepreneurship.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Timothy E. Taylor is the co-founder of Endius, Inc., a surgical device company specializing in spinal products. He started his career at NASA where he was part of the Space Shuttle Challenger investigation. He holds 13 patents and is a frequent lecturer to aspiring entrepreneurs and has appeared on Fox News and Public Television. He lives with his wife, Amy, and daughter, Sara in Birmingham, Alabama.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (March 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595266274
• ISBN-13: 978-0595266272
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,666,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entrepreneurial Inspiration, June 13, 2003

By 

Eddie Birchfield (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Launch Fever: An entrepreneur's journey into the secrets of launching rockets, a new business and living a happier life. (Paperback)

I found Launch Fever to be a very inspirational book. I especially enjoyed his experience of starting a medical device company and successfully launching the company securing venture capital funding and bringing on a professional management team. It was extremely insightful that although the author being an engineer he saw the importance of sales and marketing to launching his new venture. His experiences initially with the Boston venture capitalist and their preoccupation on how to take the product to market was very enlighting. I also enjoyed his chapter on Balancing Act. His focus on a balanced life style blending the demands of job and raising a family were very educational. I also enjoyed the homespun philosophy of his mother. Great book! I highly recommend it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Launch Fever: An Entrepreneur's Journey, April 7, 2003

By 

Roxanne B. Batson (Birmingham, AL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Launch Fever: An entrepreneur's journey into the secrets of launching rockets, a new business and living a happier life. (Paperback)

The book was fun, interesting and a good lesson on "never give up". My 18 year old son is going through the same school issues as Mr. Taylor did. Often bright, inquisitive kids finds it difficult to adjust in a setting where the focus is staying quiet and little hands-on learning. They just don't see how it relates to real world applications. Yet when given the opportunity to do what they really love they are shining stars. I put it by my son's bedside and asked him to read the 1800 word summary. Maybe it'll inspire him and encourage him to read the whole book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all", September 5, 2011

By 

JLM (London, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Launch Fever: An entrepreneur's journey into the secrets of launching rockets, a new business and living a happier life. (Hardcover)

So says the poster that hung on his dorm wall, and led to his amazing progression as an engineer, entrepreneur, venture capitalist and NASA controller. Any one of these careers could make an interesting book, put the lot in one person and you have a masterpiece.
Combined with his self-declared 'C+ average' background and southern childhood, the journey of hard work and leaps of faith cannot fail to fascinate. From renting his first garage room complete with cockroaches and wonderful descriptive passages of Cocoa Beach and working on the very beginning of the space shuttle program, to selling handbags, obtaining a pilots licence, diving in the Bahamas, experiencing zero-G, marriage, dissecting cadavers, designing medical experiments, having a daughter, obtaining patents, building an extremely successful company, this is about following your instincts and living life to the max.
It contains great advice for entrepreneurs, how to take a product to market, people seeking venture capital, as well as balancing work/life, and fantastic reading for anyone interested in the space shuttle program.