Believable Bootstrappers: 21 Real-World Stories to Rev up Your Inner
Entrepreneur
A new book from former Apprentice standout Wes Moss offers a host
of been-there-done-that lessons from people who left the corporate world to
forge their own path.
Photo:
Wes Moss
Wes Moss
“bootstrapped” his first ventures when he was in his teens, turning his
businesses into award-winning, prosperous enterprises. Moss appeared as a
candidate on NBC’s popular show, The Apprentice, with Donald Trump. A graduate
in economics from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Moss became a
vice president at one of the world's largest investment firms after just five
years. He is also a Certified Financial Planner™, managing more than $100
million in investments for high-net-worth individuals and corporations. Moss
has been interviewed on The Today Show, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox and Friends, Regis
and Kelly, and radio stations around the country. “Wes reminds me of a West
Point cadet …it’s just his demeanor, his attitude, and his level of strength.”
-Donald Trump
There's a special class of entrepreneurs
that Fate seems to have smiled upon: the overnight gazillionaires. Perhaps
they got in on the cusp of the dot-com bubble, or stumbled onto some mundane
product the world nonetheless seemed to be waiting for, or caught the eye of
an angel investor who graced them with a healthy infusion of cash. Frankly,
you can't relate to such stories. You'd love to start your own business--you
even have an idea you're excited about--but you're relatively certain you
weren't born under a lucky star. Is there a point to even trying . . . or
should you just keep plugging away at your day job? Don't despair, says Wes
Moss, author of Starting from Scratch: Secrets from 21 Ordinary People Who
Made the Entrepreneurial Leap (Dearborn Trade Publishing, November 2005,
ISBN: 1-4195-2106-3, $22.00). You don't have to hit the "business
lottery" to make a nice living on entrepreneurial avenue. Passion and good
old-fashioned elbow grease go a long, long way. "I wrote this book because I
wanted to prove that ordinary people can take charge of their financial
destiny," says Moss, an investment firm V.P. who is best known as the cool,
calm, and collected candidate on season two of NBC's The Apprentice
with Donald Trump. "I wanted to restore people's faith in the American Dream.
It's not about having the planets line up just right. There's nothing
magical about entrepreneurship, but it is a hugely rewarding way to live your
life." To start your own business and make it work, you'll need both practical
advice and inspiration. Moss provides hefty doses of both. In Starting
from Scratch, successful entrepreneurs from 21 different industries and
business concepts--a lawyer turned gourmet baker, a paralegal turned yoga
studio owner, a saleswoman turned designer shoe retailer--reveal real-life
secrets that can set you on the road to financial independence. (The book's
subjects have an average net worth between $2 million and $20 million.) The
bite-size, business-secret-packed stories in this book make entrepreneurship
sound downright doable. In fact, Moss has identified a four-step mode of
operation that led all of his book subjects to success. He calls these steps
"the HUNT." Here's how the acronym breaks down:
Harness what you have.
Identify your inherent skills and figure out something tangible you love: a
product or trade you are proud to be associated with. Underestimate your obstacles. Define a vision and
mentally bypass the multitude of things that can go wrong or stand in your
way. Notice your network. Find those around you who can
assist you in realizing your vision and utilize the leverage that others
provide in reaching your goal. Take the first step. Develop a bias toward action.
Clearly, these steps represent advice
almost anyone--yes, even you--can follow. All you need is a dream, a
healthy dose of courage, and the willingness to work hard. Yet there are
plenty of lessons-within-the-lessons that entrepreneurs must learn. Moss
addresses them in a simple and engaging way; he lets the real-life stories of
his subjects speak for themselves. Here are three insights you'll glean:
· Desperately seek challenge.
Don't settle for a job just because it's in a field that interests you. Take
the skills you're developing and use them in a new way. Dany Levy, editor and
founder of Daily Candy, exemplifies this principle. She had been
working in New York's fashion magazine industry for six years when she
realized she was bored and frustrated. She quit her magazine job and plowed
the money she'd been saving for business school into her new venture: an e-zine
that sends a lighthearted daily fashion or lifestyle tip (actually a cleverly
disguised ad) to its subscribers. Today, Daily Candy has seven
editions and nearly a million subscribers around the world. "Even though Dany
had a job many people would have killed for, she was still willing to take a
chance," says Moss. "Be bold. Push yourself. Come up with something new."
· Keep it weird.
Different is better. Look for ways to breathe life into the same-old,
same-old. Steve Bercu was a 50-something lawyer smothering in a sea of
sameness when he decided to change his life. He invested in BookPeople, a
struggling independent bookstore in Austin, Texas. Right away he got rid of
any employees who were prone to sneer at customers ordering "low brow" books
and replaced them with friendly, outgoing people. But just as the store was
taking off, Steve discovered that Austin was about to give a tax incentive to
a big box chain bookstore, which was moving in across the street. He joined
forces with a local CD store and started a campaign to urge customers to
express opposition to the incentive package. He latched onto the
countercultural slogan "Keep Austin Weird" and printed it on thousands of
bumper stickers. BookPeople flourished, Steve became a local celebrity, and
the next year the big box competitor withdrew from its lease. "Weirdness
works," says Moss. "Embrace it and promote it. Stand out from the competition
in a fundamental way and you'll thrive."
· Tirelessly pursue what you want.
Don't take no for an answer. Giovanni The
Margarita King (his legal name!), founder of The Margarita King, might well be
the poster child for tireless energy and persistence. An Italian who grew up
in Colombia, Gio cast aside his architect training to head to the U.S. and
work in its restaurant business. After building and selling nine different
Mexican restaurants in San Francisco over 15 years, Gio became famous for his
margaritas. He decided to bottle and sell them ready-made in stores. When
distributors told him his margaritas were too expensive, he went door-to-door
with his fiancée, working from seven o'clock in the morning until eleven
o'clock at night. After trying for months to get an appointment with
California's largest liquor store chain, he showed up at the head honcho's
office, bulldozed his way in, and forced him to taste the drink. "Successful
entrepreneurs push and push and push to get the answer they want," Moss says.
"They just don't give up. It takes heart and energy and the ability to thrive
on very little sleep, but when you absolutely love what you do, these things
come as naturally as breathing."
"I found it interesting that all of
these people gave me the same advice," reflects Moss. "Their secrets are
universal: figure out what you love to do, envision what you want to
accomplish, and put in a lot of old-fashioned hard work. It's a simple
formula. Sure, there's risk involved, but working in corporate America can be
risky too. Entrepreneurship lets you forge your own path instead of running on
someone else's treadmill. It's fun. And even if you don't make millions,
there's a lot to be said for that."
About the Author: Wes Moss
"bootstrapped" his first ventures when he was in his teens, turning his
businesses into award-winning, prosperous enterprises. Moss appeared as a
candidate on NBC's popular show The Apprentice with Donald Trump. A graduate
in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Moss built
a substantial investment practice and went on to become a vice president at
one of the world's largest investment firms after just five years. He is also
a Certified Financial Planner™ and along with his partners manages more than
$100 million in investments for high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and
corporations.
About the Book:
Starting from Scratch: Secrets from 21 Ordinary People Who Made
the Entrepreneurial Leap (Dearborn Trade
Publishing, November 2005, ISBN: 1-4195-2106-3, $22.00) is available at
neighborhood and online booksellers or by calling (800) 245-2665.
-Advertisement-
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
The first sequel to the
Barsetshire saga: Miss Glamora Tudor!
Author,
Ilil Arbel.
New York, NY-A new Barsetshire novel,
Miss Glamora Tudor by Ilil Arbel, has
been published by the Angela Thirkell Society of North
America. It is of major interest to readers of the
works of Thirkell and Anthony Trollope. The book
begins, “The time is August, 1954, a year and two
months after the June coronation of Queen Elizabeth
II.” Author Arbel continues in the tradition
established by Angela Thirkell for Anthony Trollope’s
characters and their lives in Barsetshire. Angela
Thirkell has not yet published Enter Sir Robert,
and the characters in Barsetshire are enthralled with
the prospect of a movie production starring Miss
Glamora Tudor. “I believe Miss Glamora Tudoris newsworthy,” Arbel commented, “since many
devoted readers of the Barsetshire saga expressed
their wish to see fresh material about their favorite
little corner of the world. In addition, Glamora Tudor
has never been on stage in the Thirkell body of work,
but she has been imagined by every reader. And here
she is in person, surrounded by some of the old and
well-loved characters, and new characters which I have
added to the cast,” Arbel says. The book is available
exclusively through the Angela Thirkell Society. Ilil
Arbel is the author of Maimonides: A Spiritual
Biography, The Lemon Tree, a dozen other
books and many articles, including contributions to
Encyclopedia Mythica. About
Miss Glamora Tudor: Fiction; The Angela Thirkell
Society of North America’s publication; Publication
Date: June 2007; Size: 5.5 x 8.5; Author: Ilil Arbel;
ISBN: 978-0-9768345-2-6 (pbk); 206 Pages. The Angela
Thirkell Society, PO Box 7798, San Diego, CA 92167.
http://www.angelathirkell.org Media Contacts:
Barbara Houlton
sdhoulton@cox.net Kathleen Fish
jnkfish@aol.com – 212 696 1169.
"World Who's Who In Jazz, Cabaret, Music and Entertainment": A
Platform for Talent and Beauty!
Ms. Suzanne Grzanna graces the
cover of "ENTERTAINMENT GREATS FROM THE 1800'S TO THE PRESENT",
written by Maximillien de Lafayette.
There are no boundaries for the
frightening energy and creative thinking of Maximillien de
Lafayette, author extraordinaire and entertainment guru. It is
almost unreal and hard to believe that one single man can write 9
gigantic books in one year. De Lafayette did it. He dashed out 6
heavy tomes on showbiz and performing arts, one huge tome on divas,
and 2 additional massive books on world culture and foreign affairs.
And this is the tip of the iceberg, for he is now in the final stage
of editing two more books on entertainment legends and divas of the
silver screen and smooth jazz. Last nuance to add to the record, he
is the former editor-in-chief of the International News Agency
Bureau Chief of the European Journal (Euro-Globe.)
Suzanne
Grzanna in concert.
His most recent 3 books were
"Best
Musicians, Singers, Albums and Entertainment Personalities of the 19th,
20th and 21st Centuries”, "Showbiz,
Pioneers, Best Singers, Musicians and Entertainers From 1606
to the Present", and "Entertainment Greats From the 1800's To The
Present." Louise Chambertin, senior editor at Cabaret Ville Magazine
wrote: "This
work is a tribute to stars and headliners of world showbiz, Jazz and
music from the time of the silent films era and gramophone to modern
times. Well-written, majestically illustrated and abundant with
behind the curtains stories about the early stars and recording
artists on and off stage. The delightful saga of this remarkable
book begins with its cover; Suzanne Grzanna, a stunning diva and
accomplished artist at so many levels conveys the message of the
author: The nostalgia of the past with its charm and glorious music
blended with today's rhythm fever and glitzy showbiz. Expressing it
differently, the golden era of Hollywood, Broadway and Vaudeville
bursts out on the pages of the tome and flirts with the madness of
modern music. Grzanna seems to echo the beauty and elegance of the
era of Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima and Benny Goodman.
However, the book does not sleep under the rainbow of a very distant
past. Several reviews and analyses of what is going on today in
Manhattan, Hollywood and beyond are abundant. Including charts of
CDs sales, market value of entertainers, latest trends in showbiz,
Jazz newcomers and rising stars.
On the back cover of the book,
the "queen of Martini-Opera and musical extravaganza", Molly
Brandenburg known also as Peggy Judy dominates the scene.
Brandenburg is another super duper star of the musical comedy scene
in California. She is fun, mega-talented and larger than life. Both,
Grzanna and Brandenburg are perfect for the covers of the book."
Lafayette was born amid flamboyant musical and artistic milieus.
Since a young age, he mingled with legends of the American and
European cinema and stars of the French music-hall. Some were close
friends to his parents. Illustrious names like Marlene Dietrich,
Simone Signoret, Jean Gabin, Sacha Distel, Michele Morgan, Omar
Sharif, to name a few. At 16, he wrote his first play "Paris does
not believe in tears", and his musical melodrama "Marmara the Gypsy"
was produced at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in Washington, DC, USA. "Without music, there is no peace in the
world. Music pacifies fanatics and attenuates violence...and
without divas, there is no charm, beauty and reveries in our
turbulent world," said Maximillien de Lafayette. So, he is in the
music business, instead of wearing his robe of lawyer and defending
clients before the court. Oh Yes! he practiced law for 15 years! But
he gave it up to embrace the magic cosmos of showbiz and scented
world of divas! I don't blame him. As a matter of fact, I envy
him.
The
Peggy Judy Summer Replacement Show: Peggy's big stage extravaganza
at the Company of Angels Theater, with a cast so large it could
populate a small South American country. Pictured: the suave and
gravity defying Peggy Judy dancers, Mike Luckerman, John Dragon and
Dean Cleverdon. Courtesy of Globe Weekly News.
I
had a brief look at his latest book "ENTERTAINMENT GREATS FROM THE
1800'S TO THE PRESENT." In fact, I went through few pages of his
unedited Adobe version, and the book looks terrific. It is so
pretty. But the esthetics are not the major concern of the author.
The content is! And the content is overwhelming. Pick up any topic
related to early showbiz glorious days and you will find it
discussed at length in the book. Ask any question about the divas of
stage and smooth jazz, and tons of photos and analogies flash before
your very eyes. And to envelop these treasures in the book, de
Lafayette's Editorial Board had to find the most suitable artists to
grace the cover of the book. They did. They found two gorgeous and
multitalented divas, and both are made in the USA!!!! Suzanne
Grzanna, a classy singer and saxophonist from Wisconsin, and Molly
Brandenburg (aka Peggy Judy). Grzanna is on the front cover of the
book, and there is a reason for that. D. Iliescu, the graphic artist
was looking for a classy star with a traditional and strong musical
background to give the impression that the book is academically
traditional. But in the same time, the chosen star had to be
innovative and "flavor of the jour," as Iliescu explained. Suzanne
Grzanna brought to the cover several ingredients: Beauty,
style, presence and command of music and lyrics. Et Voila, Grzanna
is the lady of the cover. The editorial board of the World Who's Who
consists of critics, writers and even Parisian haute couture
personalities, who are not always easy to please. If you look at the
previous covers of the Who's Who, you will find captivating faces
glowing on the front and back covers of each volume. And this is
intentional. Carol Lexter who recommends artists to the board said
"You got to find talent, beauty and uniqueness, all blended together
in one person to create a very special cover...In the past, we
had on the covers fabulous people like Carol Welsman, Lord!
she is a knockout and winner of so many jazz awards. Jill Corey was
on a cover. Jill is a living legend and she was the favorite of
Johnny Carson...Peggy Judy (Molly Brandenburg) appeared twice on two
separate covers. And Judy is Judy! There is only one Judy in the
business....she is magnetizing...a great lady, a wonderful
entertainer...this time we chose Suzanne Grzanna, and we are
delighted, because she is a national treasure..."
"One of the 10 best books of the year." World Jewish News
Agency.
"Comprehensive, authoritative, fun and most needed. A great
addition to the world Judaica history and literature.". MDL,
International Herald Daily News
The book is availabe at: All Barnes and Noble and
Borders bookstores and many local stores. Directly from the
publisher Amazon.com, Borders.com and Barnes&Noble.com
