Bootstrap to Billions: Proven Rules from Entrepreneurs Who Built Great Companies from Scratch

From the stories of entrepreneurs who have built some of the world's great companies (such as the world's largest medical device company and the world's largest consumer electronics retailer), Bootstrap to Billions shows entrepreneurs how they too can control and build a huge business from scratch to create wealth and keep it.

There are many ways to failure, only a few to success. Bootstrap to Billions shows entrepreneurs and managers how to succeed by learning from 28 entrepreneurs who started and built some of the world's great companies.

Contrary to currently popular belief, entrepreneurs can bootstrap to success. Bootstrap to Billions shows entrepreneurs and managers how these business giants bootstrapped and used alternate financing options to grow. Most of them - about 80% - never got venture capital. These entrepreneurs found their best market, designed the right strategy, developed the organization culture and leadership, and reached the top with capital-efficient strategies to minimize the need for capital. Lack of money did not constrain their growth. Many entrepreneurs may be better off by bootstrapping and alternate financing to build and control their business to create wealth and keep it.

Dr. Dileep Rao is an entrepreneurial columnist for Forbes.com, author of books for the American Management Association and the New York Times, and adjunct professor at the U of Minnesota. Previously, he was the managing director of five companies and has financed 450 startups, growing businesses, and real estate projects. Dr. Rao was the chairman of one corporation and a director of emerging ventures and financial institutions. Dileep Rao consults with entrepreneurs, managers, governments, corporations and development financiers in venture development; and assists financial institutions in business financing programs. Dr. Rao has been an adjunct professor teaching New Business Formation and Development and Venture Financing in MBA programs in the U.S., Europe and Asia. He is a three-time winner of the Outstanding MBA Teacher of the Year, and won the 2008 Excellence in Teaching Award. Dr. Rao has also written nationally acclaimed business reference books including Finance Any Business Intelligently™, Business Financing: 25 Keys to Raising Money (New York Times Pocket MBA Series, N.Y.) and the Handbook of Business Finance & Capital Sources (Co-Publisher: American Management Association, New York, NY). Sample reviews include: ''Business needs all the help it can get. Like the U.S. Cavalry, (Rao's) Handbook enters the scene just in time'' -Inc. magazine.

In addition to two engineering degrees, Dr. Rao has a doctorate in business administration