Worthless, impossible, and stupid : how contrarian entrepreneurs create and capture extraordinary value / Daniel Isenberg.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Isenberg, Daniel J., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Entrepreneurship.

Value.

Creative ability in business.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (301 pages)

Place of Publication:

Boston, Massachusetts : Harvard Business Review Press, 2013.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Introducing the global mind-set changing the way we do business.In this fascinating book, global entrepreneurship expert Daniel Isenberg presents a completely novel way to approach business building-with the insights and lessons learned from a worldwide cast of entrepreneurial characters. Not bound by a western, Silicon Valley stereotype, this group of courageous and energetic doers has created a global and diverse mix of companies destined to become tomorrow's leading organizations. Worthless, Impossible, and Stupid is about how enterprising individuals from around the world see hidden value in situations where others do not, use that perception to develop products and services that people initially don't think they want, and ultimately go on to realize extraordinary value for themselves, their customers, and society as a whole. What these business builders have in common is a contrarian mind-set that allows them to create opportunities and succeed where others see nothing. Amazingly, this process repeats itself in one form or another countless times a day all over the world. From Albuquerque to Islamabad, you will travel with Isenberg to discover unusual yet practical insights that you can use in your own business. Meet the founders of Grameenphone in Bangladesh, PACIV in Puerto Rico, Sea to Table in New York, Actavis in Iceland, Studio Moderna in Slovenia, Hartwell Metals in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, Given Imaging in Israel, WildChina in China, and many others. You'll be moved by the stories of these plucky start-ups-many of them fueled by adversity and, more often than not, by necessity.Great stories, stunning successes, crushing failures-they're all here. What can we, in the East and West, learn from them? What can you learn-and what will these entrepreneurial stories, so compellingly told, inspire you to do? Let this book open doors for

you where you once saw only walls. If you've ever felt the urge to turn a glimmer of an idea into something extraordinary, these stories are for you.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Preface

Introduction: Surprise

Part 1: Who Is an Entrepreneur? Three Myths

Chapter 1: Myth #1: Entrepreneurs Must Be Innovators

Chapter 2: Myth #2: Entrepreneurs Must Be Experts

Chapter 3: Myth #3: Entreprenuers Must Be Young

Part 2: Running Away from the Crowd

Chapter 4: Why the Best Entrepreneurs Seem Crazy

Chapter 5: Why the Best Ventures Seem Worthless (or Impossible, or Stupid)

Part 3: When Adversity Meets Reward

Chapter 6: If You Can't Stand the Heat

Chapter 7: Some Kitchens Are Hotter Than Others

Chapter 8: Solving Burning Problems

Chapter 9: Personal Gain

Part 4: Making Sense of It All

Chapter 10: Perceiving Extraordinary Value

Chapter 11: Creating Extraordinary Value

Chapter 12: Capturing Extraordinary Value

Conclusion: "A Crack, Jerk, and a Leap"

Notes

Index

Acknowledgments

About the Author.

Notes:

Includes index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781422186992

1422186997

OCLC:

1024283942