Birthing the Elephant

January 7, 2008
Starting your own business is tough, but learning to think like an entrepreneur is half the battle, say small-business consultants Abarbanel and Freeman. Part portable success coach, part step-by-step guide through the life cycle of a small-business launch, the book presents real-life stories—from the famous, such as makeup entrepreneur Bobbi Brown and stylish maternity-wear pioneer Liz Lange, to startups in the worlds of baking, filmmaking and high tech software. A great deal of space is given to tools for developing the emotional mind frame to succeed outside the comfort of the traditional workplace, and the authors devote particular attention to commitment, courage, persistence and other traits. Later chapters delve into the nitty-gritty of asset assessment, money management, support systems, success strategies and common pitfalls. This information is backed up with handy chapter-closing quick tips, checklists, action steps, real-life examples and a helpful resource guide. With the number of women-owned businesses growing in the U.S. at the rate of one every 60 seconds—roughly 600,000 launches a year, according to the authors—the audience for this positive, cheerful, practical book should be substantial.

March 15, 2008
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, female-owned companies account for 28 percent of all American businesses, but as Werhane (business ethics, DePaul Univ.; "Moral Imagination and Management Decision-Making") and her coauthors point out, only six Fortune 500 companies are headed by women. These three titles offer much-needed advice to the thousands of women making entrepreneurial moves or to those who want a boost up the corporate ladder. Werhane et al. interviewed 22 women executives to get their thoughts on leadership styles and how they have broken through the glass ceiling. Each executive's story focuses on one aspect of her career or management style. They share ideas on coaching, mentoring, creativity, building a culture of trust, managing reputations, social commitment, being customer-centered, being a servant-leader, and many other refreshing takes on what has made them and their companies stand out.

"Birthing the elephant" is business writer Abarbanel ("The Dollar Bill Knows No Sex") and syndicated columnist Freeman's metaphor for launching an entrepreneurial venture: both are mammoth undertakings that require around 22 months. If the venture is successful, the entrepreneur will have a healthy, thriving business to call her own. The authors admit that their breezy guide doesn't focus on the nitty gritty of business plans and dealing with the bank, but it does show, for instance, how start-up venturers can substitute "brains for bucks."

Canadian entrepreneurs Mears and Bacon offer their personal experiences in setting up their web-design company, as well as real-life scenarios from dozens of other women in start-up ventures. After helping readers define the vision for their business and understand why they need to be their own boss, this practical guide follows the stages of a start-up and offers down-to-earth advice backed up with real-life scenarios.

Both entrepreneurial books, with inspiration and guidance for women launching their dreams, are recommended for public library business collections. "Women in Business" is in the management genre, which makes it better suited for academic and larger public library business collections.Carol J. Elsen, Univ. of Wisconsin Libs., Whitewater

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2008
The ability to understand and manage emotions is, most probably, the best way to describe Abarbanel and Freemans book. They identify four stages of birthing a business: starting your start-up; running your own show; achieving breakthrough; and finding your business rhythm. Yet what they concentrate on is each stages feelings and coping strategies. The authors are bluntly honest: expect self-doubt, performance anxiety, and a lack of a life outside of eating-working-sleeping. At the same time, emerging entrepreneurs will find advice thats worth the price of the book alone, from relying on mentors to nurturing your private life. Identifying and avoiding pitfalls, such as romanticizing being your own boss and not trusting your gut, enable women to sidestep potential issues.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)