Management

Good Hard Kick in the Ass: Basic Training
for Entrepreneurs

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Editorial note: Who doesn't need a good kick in the ass at one time or another? Certainly dreamy entrepreneurs whose thinking isn't yet planted in business reality. Rob Adams is a well-regarded venture capitalist. His book is a worthwhile read for ambitious tech oriented entrepreneurs who aspire to start and build the next Facebook, Google or YouTube. And because Adams is generous in explaining what factors influence venture deal making, it's a smart read for tech centric entrepreneurs who will need outside capital to realize their entrepreneurial goals. If this is you, really pay attention to what Adams has to say. His advice can eliminate a lot of guess work and solicitation missteps.

Partnerships for Profit: Structuring and
Managing Strategic Alliances

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Editorial note: This is a seemingly dated book that has tremendous relevance to Take Command entrepreneurs today. We like it because it fosters creative thinking on how innovative, young companies can effectively partner with resource-rich companies. Here, entrepreneurs can learn about the organization and function of joint venture partnerships, technology and marketing alliances and more. Buy this book to expand your world of opportunity. It certainly belongs on every venture fund-backed CEO's bookshelf.

The Art of Project Management

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Editorial note: This is a worthwhile book for high technology entrepreneurs who have to establish a quick position in fast-changing markets. Here Berkun presents practical, easy-to-implement strategies to improve goal definition and execution. Some of the author's advice seems obvious on the surface but in total can still be a helpful resource for entire product development teams. For full disclosure, the author gained his project management wisdom at Microsoft. As such, this book may not be the best fit for anti-Windows code warriors. But within the Take Command organization offices, we believe it is a worthwhile read for entrepreneurs who have to accomplish quite a lot in a short period of time.

Project Management

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Editorial note: This is an incredibly expensive book. Yet, we recommend it with budget caution for Take Command entrepreneurs who have little direct management experience and now find themselves taking on the leadership of a major site build or a multi-year product design initiative and "don't know, what they don't know." We suggest potential book buyers try to find a used copy or a library copy. Otherwise, ask for it as a birthday present or as a business startup gift. (Take Command entrepreneurs prefer empowering books rather than plants to celebrate a new business opening!) This book is one or two steps above The Art of Project Management in content. It's for very serious business builders who have high performance expectations for development teams.

The Power of Focus: How to Hit Your Business,
Personal and Financial Targets with Absolute Certainty

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Editorial note: Entrepreneurs have to be organized to achieve their goals. Here is a book that provides reasonable strategies to help you pack more productive minutes into every business building day.