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Full Title: You Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way – and Live the Life You Want – with 19 Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship by Cameron Johnson
ISBN: 1-4165-3606-X
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Summary: Cameron has an amazing story of how he started 12 companies before he was 21. All of which made him money and few lasted more than a year. None required startup capital and few had more employees than himself. Many even were sold to bigger companies for ‘undisclosed amounts’. All of which taught him something valuable about life and business. This book was written to not really tell his story – even though it does- but to tell what he learned from his experiences of having business as a kid.

What I thought: I was actually sent this book from jim at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity who had a book give away. I would like to thank jim for his kindness in sending it to me. Even though I received it about six weeks ago and finished reading it probably two weeks ago, I am just now getting to writing my review. FYI, you can read jim’s review of You Call the Shots. Also you can learn more about Cameron Johnson Inc. Or read Cameron’s blog.

I thought this book was very interesting. I would somewhat expect a person who is making Internet companies to try at bigger ideas with higher goals. Cameron taught me to think smaller and of a more automated company. He worked on his companies while going to school and having other jobs – sometimes without Internet connects. Having a humble company does not make one less of a success or less likely to cash out. The amount of the pay off might be less, but in Cameron’s eyes, one does not need millions of dollars to be happy. It is the ride which makes one happy and make $50k when you are 12 will pay off eventually. ‘Go big or go home’ doesn’t really apply in this case.

This is a must read for any small business owner.

Full Title: The Art of War by Sun Tzu
ISBN: 9780486425573
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Summary: Considered the first ever war strategy book, The Art of War tracks many of the major aspects of war including attaching while the others are not ready, supplying an army, and knowing your enemy’s next move before it makes it. I could say more, but it would give away too much since it is less than 100 pages.

What I thought: Watch out. I now know how to lead an army.

Full Title: The Art of the Start, The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything by Guy Kawasaki
ISBN: 1-59184-056-2
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Summary: Guy goes through a few of the major aspects of starting a business such as writing a business plan, raising money, and recruiting great talent and explains the best pieces which should be focused on and those which should be forgotten. One example for the writing the plan comes down to who writes it. He suggests from his experience as a Venture Capitalist that many start ups try to write the plan as a team or in sections. This is a bad idea for many reasons (I will let him explain those) and says ideas should come from everybody but one person should physically write the plan. Another example is from creating mission statements. According to him they are useless time wasters. All of them have the same basic pieces (regardless of the organization) and are forgotten and not followed 10 minutes after being written.

What I thought: In a few emails with Guy I have found him to be a very nice person. That personality is also demonstrated in this book. This book is more of a guide to describing the best ways to forget about the things which are not going to make the company successful and start implementing ideas which will. A cut-the-crap-and-let’s-grow guide if you will. Michael Moritz of Sequoia Capital put it best.

A successful entrepreneur requires three things: a garage, an idea, and this book.

Art of the Start

Full Title: Technical Analysis Of The Financial Markets, A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications by John J. Murphy
ISBN: 0-7352-0066-1
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Summary: As the title states this seems to be a ‘comprehensive guide’ to Technical Analysis – the use of charts and volume to predict, track, and profit from the stock market. (As opposed to Fundamental Analysis – the use of financial statements). Murphy goes into detail about the various techniques to using Technical Analysis such as Dow Theory, chart trends, moving averages, head and shoulders…

What I thought: In hopes to learn more about personal finance which is a New Years Resolution and a Mid Year Resolution, I picked up this book. At first it was pretty interesting learning how to determine various peaks and troughs in the charts in order to make a profit. (I will keep the argument of Fundamental v. Technical for another day.) Then I read more and more and was able to get the gist of any chapter in the first few pages if not the first few paragraphs. Would I suggest this to somebody who was interested in Technical Analysis? Well maybe, but I would tell him or her to read the Wikipedia article first; it seems to be more in depth and free.

Full Title: The Millionaire Next Door, The Surprising Secrets of American’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko
ISBN: 0-671-01520-6
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Summary: Have you ever wondered what the wealthy in America do for a living? What they drive? Where they shop? How they spend their spare time? The interesting part of this story is they live middle to upper-middle class lives, drive cars which will get them by, and typically work as professionals or small business owners. That’s right, they are just like me and you. Typically they do not come from families with large a inheritance and most often put themselves through college. Surprising enough, many of them are self made millionaires. This book also argues their current lifestyle of frugality sprouts from their childhood, and they would have never made this ’status milestone’ without that prior lifestyle.

What I thought: This was a very interesting book. Although, it seemed obvious that somebody who were to save 20% of their income year after year would become a millionaire, I did not exactly know who was doing this kind of savings. I also found it interesting that families typically do not have millionaire children. This comes from their parents establishing a lifestyle which the children cannot hold until they are well into a career. In order to keep that lifestyle, they ask for or receive gifts from their parents while not saving. The moral of the story is to get a college degree, get a nicely paying job or start a company, invest extra (typically 20%+ in these cases) income, live below your means, educate yourself of your financial situation and the situation of your country/world, and be happy with life not the furniture and other toys.