Customer Reviews

Lessons from the Edge: Survival Skills for Starting and Growing a Company

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having read many business books, Lessons from the Edge offers a different prospective for entrepreneurs. It is not so much a "how to" book but rather one that highlights the negative consequences of bad decisions. These are life lessons that can be learned from others rather than yourself. I've heard it said that good men learn from their own mistakes but great men learn from the mistakes of others. This is a perfect opportunity to do that kind of learning.

Each chapter is a fast read. At the end of each section, there is a summary of important lessons learned.

In running my own business, I found some that some chapters were too familiar from my own experience. This is a great book to help you stay away from the "Edge".

Jana, Jeff and Peter have done an amazing job of compiling real business mistakes and difficulties into an easy to read, must have reference for the entrepreneur. I for one would much rather learn from the challenges of others before forcing myself to learn the hard way out of ignorance. This book provided over 40 opportunities to do just that. This book goes a long way in filling the gaps in my experience and I would suggest it to every would be and current entrepreneur

I read this book about a year ago, right before I left a consulting position and decided to pursue my dream of running my own business. I read it a second time recently and learned even more the second time around. This book is clear, concise and very insightful when it comes to the various pitfalls of running an organization. Whether you want to learn about how to find the right employees, find the right partner or get the right type of financing, this is a great read.

I am an entrpreneur who really liked the lessons brought forth in Jeff's book. I suggest it to anyone who needs inspiration in the daily struggles of running a business.

Jana Matthews and Jeff Dennis do a great job of writing a series of short vignettes about a number of key entrepreneurial themes. In addition to some riveting stories, they do a great job of synthesizing the lessons in short, digestible chunks. Unlike other books of entrepreneurs' stories, Jana and Jeff keep it short, sweet, and to the point, delivering a book that is simultaneously rich in content and easy to get through.

"Lessons" has great, real-life stories - not a lot of theory or platitudes, just the brutal, sometimes painful truth. Well worth reading by any entrepreneur or potential entrepreneur.

It was great to read the numerous and varied stories that real life entrepreneurs face on an ongoing basis. It is from these stories that the fabric of what it means to be an entrepreneur is woven - and for myself as the reader to be able to learn valuable lessons from the experiences of others. I now have the opportunity to take that value, apply it to my own business, personal and entrepreneurial life and realize a more rewarding and rich destiny - without going over the Edge!

"Lessons from the Edge" is one of the best business books I have ever read. Not only does the book contain poignant and true stories of how entrepreneurs overcame huge personal and business obstacles, it provides a summary business lesson after each story and section that enables the reader to draw their own lessons from the book. The prose is tight and a surprisingly quick read.

Congratulations on a great compilation of real life stories. I have been waiting for the book since hearing about it several years ago. I know several of the entrepreneurs you have profiled and each page has some nugget of learning I can apply to my own business and life. This will be a great reference book and part of my library of "keepers". Thank you!

Lessons From The Edge: Survial Skills For Starting And Growing A Company is the collaboration of international expert on corporate growth Jana Matthews and life-long entrepreneur Jeff Dennis, with material assistance by Peter Economy (Associate Editor of "Leader to Leader" magazine). Drawing upon interviews with more than 50 entrepreneurs, all of whom are under 45 years of age and are founders or presidents of companies with revenues over $1 million, Lessons From The Edge offers key insights, information, and tales of overcoming challenges to establish one's place in the competitive business world. Chapters cover the basics and pitfalls of partnerships, money moves, balancing personal and business issues, and much more. A useful reader packed with wisdom and lessons learned from the school of hard knocks.