Customer Reviews

Reaching Escape Velocity: Launching gonzo engineering projects with sponsors, media, volunteers, and other potent forces

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Folks,

A major international project I am involved with was needing contemporary media kick start with an underlying guerrilla marketing strategy due to the devastating economic turmoil (downturn.) This publication gave inspiration, ideas and a no-nonsense plan to the entire operation. The program Steve has developed and the simple (now obvious after reading the book) steps he outlines were instrumental in generating new media interest, not to mention major sponsorship.

This book paid for itself within hours, and will continue to add value for a lifetime. Two hearty thumbs up, a must read!

Les

From what I've seen, this book fills in some important gaps in the sponsorship world. Most of the other stuff out there seems to be directed more at getting sports sponsorship deals. Rather than a path to sponsorship that relies on becoming a motivational speaker or media whore to procure swag and travel expenses, Steve lays out a strategy that provides value to sponsors on more robust levels. Not only that, but the value exchange he details adds a layer of engineering and experimentation missing from traditional sponsorships.

One of the projects he got funded using these principles was a technology laden bike that cost something like $1,200,000 to build. Not only is the knowledge from that project invaluable, but he built his experience putting together at least two other bike projects and at least two boat projects.

The book is short on pages, but straight to the point. I'm putting together an expedition requiring some serious tech and it answered a bunch of nagging questions I couldn't get answered anywhere else.

Not only is Steven Roberts a heck of an adventurer, he has now undertaken the painstaking work of detailing everything you need to know about the forgotten and mysterious side of gonzo engineering: the sponsoring, volunteering and media parts. Roberts is a man who knows his topic well and lives it. Thankfully he is also articulate and has distilled his knowledge into Reaching Escape Velocity. This should be one of the first books you should reach for if you're undertaking any sort of gonzo engineering project.

Reaching Escape Velocity is just what you need right now. A surprising gem for those who have awakened to find themselves other than where they really want. This is your map back to you. This is the fuel to burn through the fog you've been sleeping in the last decade... or two. Steven K. Roberts is a Saint tipping his hand. Pay attention.