Blueprint to Business: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Taking Action, Committing to the Grind, And Doing the Things That Most People Won't - Hardcover

Alden, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1119424925 ISBN 13: 9781119424925

Publisher: Wiley, 2017

Synopsis

Essential reading for any would-be entrepreneur

Blueprint to Business is the ultimate guide to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Bestselling author and CEO Mike Alden puts aside the rainbows and sunshine, gets real about what it takes to 'make it,' and gives you the real-world guidance you need to hear. Through anecdotes and advice, he shares his experiences along with those of other top founders and entrepreneurs to give you a realistic picture of what it takes to build a business. It's a bit of tough love, a healthy dose of reality, and a tremendously motivating guide to striking out on your own; from motivation and commitment to business licenses and the IRS, this guide is your personal handbook for the biggest adventure of your career.

So you want to start a business: how much are you willing to commit in terms of time, money, and energy? How do you plan to bring in customers? What will set you apart from the crowd? What will convince clients to come to you rather than your competitor with an established track record? These questions must be answered before you even begin planning—and then, you have to make that canyon-sized leap from planning to doing. This book guides you through the early stages with practical advice from a real-world perspective.

• Turn 'dreams' into goals, and goals into reality
• Discover just what it takes to build a successful business
• Dig into the paperwork and legal/regulatory requirements
• Adjust your expectations to reflect your abilities and willingness to commit

Starting a business could be the best thing you've ever done—or it could be the worst. Mitigate the risk by setting yourself up for success from the very beginning with the invaluable advice in Blueprint to Business.

Praise for Blueprint to Business

"I've had the opportunity to work directly with Michael Alden on his children's book.  His business know how and ability to get things done is unparalleled.”

—Naren Aryal, CEO Mascot Books.

"As an entrepreneur and author myself, I would recommend Blueprint to Business to anyone who is in business or looking to start a company.  Michael Alden's no nonsense approach is much needed for anyone who wants the real truth about the life of an entrepreneur."

—Ken Kupchik, author of The Sales Survival Handbook Cold Calls, Commissions, and Caffeine Addiction The Real Truth About Life in Sales

"Michael Alden's story is truly inspirational. He has seen some extremely difficult times and has overcome extraordinary odds along his journey.  He harnessed what he learned even as a young child to achieve great business success.  The lessons in Blueprint to Business not only help those in business but it is for anyone who wants more out of life.”

—June Archer, author of YES! Every day can be a good day: The Keys to success that lead to an Amazing life

“As a young entrepreneur, I have found that truly successful people help and teach others.  Michael Alden has taken the time to help me with my business and my book.  His experience is undeniable and I would recommend Blueprint to Business to any entrepreneur who wants to learn from someone who has done great things and continues to.”

—Casey Adams, social media influencer and author of Rise of The Young: How To Turn Your Negative Situation Into A Positive Outcome, and Build A Successful Personal Brand

“Being an entrepreneur has its challenges.  Michael Alden shares his business experiences to help others succeed.  His advice and enthusiasm is directed towards teaching and leading through example.  If you are looking to succeed in business this book is a must read!"

—Christopher J. Wirth, entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, coach and host of the No Quit Living Podcast 

“I’ve known Mike for over ten years.  I have had the opportunity to work very closely with him on dozens of transactions.  His ability to get things done and work through obstacles is second to none.  When most people would give up, Mike figures out a way to get things done.”

—Jim Shriner, television personality and author of Live Disease Free Naturally.

 

About this title

From the Inside Flap

Michael Alden is founder and CEO of a multimillion-dollar company, a television host, and a bestselling author. He's achieved notable success by asking more from his clients, his teams, and himself—even if it's just five percent more every day. It's easy to think Michael lives success day in and day out. Actually, his days are filled with minor setbacks, just like yours, and he gives himself an advantage by strategically handling each one. In Blueprint to Business, he shares a genuinely personal side of himself through an enriching collection of stories representing his biggest mistakes and the lessons he learned.

This is the much-needed guidebook to starting your own business for everyone who knows they need to put in the hard work but doesn't know how. Out-of-the-box moneymaking kits won't work, but with this step-by-step road map, you can bring your product or service to market from scratch—from turning an idea into a business plan all the way to staying positive and engaged through the daily grind to your goals. Yes—you need to love the grind to succeed, and you'll find a lot more honest advice like that inside, including how to never fail again.

Throughout this comprehensive resource, you hear the stories of other top entrepreneurs practicing the critical soft skills and hands-on techniques responsible for their continued growth in business and their personal lives. After you read it cover to cover, keep it with you as an everyday reference to turn to for:

• Practical information on starting a business, including startup considerations, legal and financial obligations, critical protective measures, and more
• Detailed examples you can model in your life to get into the habit of making positive decisions in your personal and professional lives
• Authoritative guidance that goes beyond a surface mindset and gives you the deep confidence to reach your goals by acting on proven techniques

Michael proved you don't need to come from a privileged upbringing to achieve the dreams you're willing to work for, and Blueprint to Business is his easy-to-follow formula for turning your brightest dreams into profitable, real-world businesses.

From the Back Cover

THE WAY ENTREPRENEURS GET MORE

Blueprint to Business is the definitive guide to becoming a successful entrepreneur—in and out of the office—by the celebrated authority on direct response, bestselling author, and television personality Michael Alden. In this revealing road map, you discover the secrets to going through life without failure and achieving your personal and professional goals.

In his first two bestselling books, 5% More and Ask More, Get More, Michael showed you how to get more out of yourself, your life, and those around you. Now, in his most personal work to date, he delivers unfiltered advice and guidance to aspiring entrepreneurs looking for dependable strategies to getting more out of their businesses. Nothing inside is sugarcoated so you truly learn from the harsh realities of experience in order to fully prepare yourself for running a business in the real world. Some things may be shocking and others unorthodox, and you can be sure everything you find will enable you to:

• Take control of your financial security by developing a valuable skillset of wisdom and know-how for creating and driving a moneymaking business
• Master the life-changing approach to turning every challenge into an advantage and every setback into an accomplishment
• Find the inspiration and encouragement to grind through all the dirty work of an entrepreneur, including doing whatever it takes

Every entrepreneur will tell you running a business is hard, and the elite group of high-performing ones who know how to turn every mistake into a win will tell you about Blueprint to Business.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1119424925
• ISBN 13: 9781119424925
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 176