From the Publisher
“You don’t need to be a die-hard entrepreneur to enjoy and benefit from Finding the Way. Its compelling lessons, folded into a terrific and heartfelt narrative, may help you manage your own business, whatever it may be, and your own life more effectively. This may give you insight into those hyper-driven business starters you know and will certainly remind you of the value of deep relationships and great mentors. And if you catch the bug yourself, you’ll find a road map to building a successful business without losing what’s most important. So, dive on in!”—Alvin Townley, best-selling New York Times–reviewed author; Senior Leadership Fellow, United States Naval Academy"Finding the Way is a truly novel take on the traditional business fable. An entertaining read in its own right, the lessons embedded within pack a punch that any aspiring entrepreneur would be well-served to heed. If I have one bone to pick, it would be that I didn't have access to this book ten years ago when I started my first company!" —M. Andrew McConnell, Founder and CEO of Rented.com, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Get Out of My Head: Creating Modern Clarity with Stoic Wisdom“If you're a founder or aspire to be, pick this book up today. In Finding the Way: The Entrepreneur’s Tale, you'll live through a ten year story of a real, successful startup in a few hours of reading or listening. You'll gain confidence that you, too, can change the world. And, you'll be more certain of your own success by discovering, alongside the main character, Ren, how to find your own path. This is a must read, packed with essential lessons, large and small, and guidance toward many of the most important success factors that are not addressed sufficiently elsewhere. For most founders, who like me are experiential learners, this story does more to teach how businesses are really built than an MBA.” —Lisa Calhoun, Entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist, Founder and Managing Partner of Valor Ventures“This book is for everyone. Finding the Way is an insightful, humorous, and unique account of the challenges, struggles, and setbacks even the most experienced entrepreneurs face. Cap Treeger’s passion for learning, humility, commitment to integrity, and wisdom leap off the pages. I could not put this book down and read it in one sitting. The timeless principles the author outlines provide a clear, concise, and complete roadmap for success in business, philanthropy, relationships, and all of life. A must read!” —Ross Mason, Founder of HINRI, Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Co-Founder of Aurora: The Business Forge
“It’s all about the journey. Entrepreneurship can be a lonely and isolated odyssey full of twists and unexpected turns. For those that dare to take the leap, having a guide that has lived it, wrestled with it, suffered losses, and celebrated triumphs is essential to avoid the pitfalls that so many that dare to dream succumb to. Finding the Way is an absolutely compelling, honest, and authentic ride down the winding road that is starting, building, and sustaining a successful business. We work with hundreds of entrepreneurs, business owners, innovators, and dreamers every year, and this book will immediately be added to our must-read list.”—Jay Bailey, president and CEO, H.J. Russell, Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs
“The values and philosophies shared throughout this book are vital to building business acumen. The lessons offered on rejection add a level of practicality and normalcy that is useful to any professional. Great read, very relatable, and a confidence builder!”—Adalius Thomas, former NFL pro bowler and Super Bowl champion, entrepreneur
“Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs-to-be will take away many jewels of wisdom from Finding the Way. The novel way this has been presented makes it easy to read and understand the trials and tribulations that an entrepreneur faces on a daily basis.”—Sig Mosley, board member, investor, and founder, Mosley Ventures and Zane Venture Fund
“This is a must-read for entrepreneurs, leaders of all organizations, and people that want to understand them. The wisdom and lessons are universal. And many of the key points are essential matters that are not addressed enough. This book is as close as you can come to living and learning from the experience of building a successful venture.”—Asha Saxena, entrepreneur; board member, CEO Coaching International; professor, Columbia University; author, The AI Factor
“Finding the Way is an inspiring, informative story of the entrepreneurial journey. Filled with timeless lessons about the joys and challenges of building a business, this book is overflowing with insights that are missing from most entrepreneurial books and MBA classes. A single nugget from the book could save an entrepreneur untold time and money, and this book is full of them. The story format makes it interesting to read and less preachy than a textbook. Overall a great book and a great read!”—Ellie Byrd, business coach and advisor; founder, ForumSherpa and MachPoint; author, Eating Ramen: A Survival Guide for Tough Financial Times
“The most effective leaders inspire by crafting a vision, charting a path, and relentlessly pursuing it. The author’s authenticity, management style, and commitment to the process of improvement shine through. Reading this book has compelled me to sustain focus on becoming a better communicator and a more pragmatic leader. Absolutely a must-read for every-level entrepreneur!”—Scott Roberts, founder and CEO, Pioneer Rubber & Gasket
“Finding the Way is an entertaining journey full of useful business advice that clearly comes from Ren’s own personal experience. Practical, sound, and actionable life lessons for entrepreneurs and business people alike. It was emotional and felt like I was reading my own story in many ways.”—Derek Elder, CEO, board member, and investor
“Cap Treeger truly pays it forward by sharing his experiences and the invaluable advice of his network of successful business mentors to provide an entertaining, lesson-filled story to guide any want-to-be entrepreneur. There are many essential experiences to live and learn from. For example, there is incredible wisdom on cost structure and understanding the cost of risk in Finding the Way that should be required reading for all entrepreneurs and small business leaders. Dive in and take your own inspiration from idea to reality!”—Jeff Taylor, CEO, Dead River Ranch Materials, LLC
“Finding the Way captures the plight of the entrepreneur journey in a captivating, motivating way. From the ups and downs to the twists and turns, Cap Treeger acts as a sherpa guiding the reader through a founder’s experience with grace and aplomb by way of the hero Ren. Every entrepreneur would do well to take their first step here.”—David Cummings, entrepreneur; investor; founder, Pardot and Atlanta Tech Village; author, Startup Upstart
“Climb aboard for a roller coaster ride! Finding the Way is not just for entrepreneurs and those around them, it is for leaders in all walks of life and anyone interested in personal development. The journey gets more enjoyable and the lessons more valuable as the book progresses. Cap Treeger’s story leads you to live and learn through his experiences and wisdom from mentors and mistakes, emphasizing so many of the essential business and leadership lessons that are not taught elsewhere. There are no shortcuts to becoming a strong leader, but Finding the Way is as close to a road map as I’ve seen.”—Russell Smith, entrepreneur; angel investor; founder and CEO, RTS Associates
“Finding the Way is a must-read business development ‘textbook’ for all aspiring entrepreneurs. The unique, breezy style of this book, which involves family members, real-to-life business associates, and advisors dealing with real-life business opportunities, challenges, and learning experiences, is not only entertaining but also rewarding. The takeaway is a concise yet comprehensive checklist of things to consider along the road to success in an entrepreneurial endeavor.”—Joe Bleser, CFO, board member, and advisor to many public and private companies
“Cap Treeger provides something that every entrepreneur—and every person—should crave: understanding gained from other people’s experiences. He not only shares the lessons learned from the ups and downs of starting a business, but also relays tremendous wisdom learned from many amazing mentors in his life. There is something in this story for everyone.”—Shane Jackson, speaker; president, Jackson Healthcare; author, Fostering Culture: A Leader’s Guide to Purposefully Shaping Culture
“Finding the Way is an easy read, as the author takes us down the road of starting and growing a business. And this is a great read for any kind of endeavor. While businesses are all different, entrepreneurs and their companies share many common problems and challenges. Being familiar with them before they occur will make the process of dealing with them easier.”—Jim McDonald, former president and CEO (retired), Scientific-Atlanta, Prime Computer, and Gould, Inc
“Starting a business and building momentum is hard. Finding the Way allows you, the reader, to be the proverbial fly on the wall as Ren the entrepreneur implements layer upon layer of sound advice from his mentors. A great read that makes an interesting story of some of the most important lessons in entrepreneurship.”—Davis Knox, entrepreneur; co-founder, Outdoors By Owner; co-founder and CEO, Fire & Flavor
“Finding the Way is a fantastic read, packed with lessons every aspiring entrepreneur should lean into. Each chapter is packed with real life experiences that occur in new enterprises each and every day. There are no shortcuts to success; however, this book offers many insights that can help pave the way.”—Ernest L. Ellis, founder and CEO, FS360
“Finding the Way is a must read for individuals contemplating an entrepreneurial journey. This novel delivers the experience of the highs and lows involved in starting and growing a company.”—Irv Grossman, Logistics founder and entrepreneur
“This is an inspiring story; you will live through the author’s dreams, visions, and actions of being an entrepreneur creating a business. His endless search for experience, knowledge, and advice while developing a company with all the ups and downs of clients, products, markets, personalities, and finances is a constant battle. Then he gets to go home to his family and that support system that you can’t forget.”—G. Niles Bolton, founder, chairman, and CEO, Niles Bolton Associates
“Finding the Way is a great read for anyone thinking of starting a business and wanting to learn from the experience of others. Hearing the story of the challenges and successes, understanding what worked and did not work, and learning from the first hand experiences of those that have been there are all enormously valuable for anyone thinking of starting out on a new venture! A great read!”—G. P. “Bud” Peterson, PhD, president emeritus, Georgia Institute of Technology; chairman, Partnership for Inclusive Innovation
“This is a wonderful business parable that is packed with wisdom from end to end. You can tell that the author has both lived the roller coaster ride of business and thoroughly studied the subject. An aspiring entrepreneur would save countless dollars, headaches, and amount of time by taking to heart even just a handful of the lessons contained herein.”—Steven Hong, serial entrepreneur; founder, Sylvane
“Finding the Way is a warm, thoughtful account of a young, aspiring CEO growing into the role. The story vividly and realistically chronicles Ren’s struggles in addressing the changing structural and personnel needs of his business as it grows as well as the challenge of maintaining a healthy balance between family and work. Whether you are in the early stages of your journey as a business leader or nearing the end of the road reflecting back, Finding the Way will be a great read.”—Joe Evans, banking founder and CEO; chairman (retired), State Bank Financial Corporation; vice chairman, Cadence Bancorporation
“Normally novels serve to provide engaging entertainment. Business books—insights, knowledge, and winning strategies. Cap Treeger’s Finding the Way bridges the gap between the two approaches in a very unique fashion. Character interactions coupled with engaging dialogue take the reader on a journey filled with wisdom, grounded insights, and the guidance to help direct one’s passion in the relentless quest for business success. I strongly recommend it as a must-read for aspiring entrepreneurs regardless of the stage in their journey. The book entertains while teaching, encouraging, and enlightening.”—Clifford Schorer, entrepreneur in residence, Columbia Business School
“Parables have been used since the beginning of time, among all major cultures and religions, to teach important life lessons in a way that the reader or listener can easily relate to. Finding the Way is no exception and is a modern parable for every business owner. Following the story of Ren on his entrepreneurial journey, business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can learn valuable lessons and save themselves years of headaches, time, and money. I highly recommend this book!”—Rebekah Barr, CEO, Allyon, Inc
“Finding the Way is a fantastic journey, offering a comprehensive blueprint in company building. It shows the path from concept to execution. I wish I had read this 20 years earlier.”—Brian Terrell, entrepreneur; founder, VFXnow and GPL Technologies
“I like this book. It is not formulaic. The author encounters problems, most of which he has not seen before. He asks for advice, listens, and deals with his problems, sometimes clearly, sometimes in a messy way . . . like life—with insightful and humble introspection along the way.”—Jim Balloun, retired CEO
“Finding the Way captures Cap Treeger’s brilliant mind for starting and managing highly successful businesses. A truly riveting and educational experience, and written in the format of a page-turner novel, its teachings seek to inspire a new generation of startup entrepreneurs and unicorn operators.”—Justin Chen Li, CEO, Helio Genomics; venture advisor; director; Forbes Thought Leader
“A depiction of a young entrepreneur’s journey in seeking direction and guidance toward his goal of establishing a successful startup, this book is a wonderful guidebook in coaching the journey for anyone who’s interested in this courageous and exciting path in life. It provides details on different stages of strategic planning but more importantly, it highlights the charismatic characters of great entrepreneurs who value integrity, compassion, and respect for others at all stages of their lives.”—Verna Meng, founder and CEO, VEE International
“My favorite concept from this book was the Villain—who lurks everywhere, ready, willing, and able to screw up my business and teaching me to be prepared. This book so uniquely labels critical concepts in an engaging manner that you can’t help but remember them in your daily life. I’m going to provide a copy of this book to all my entrepreneurship students.”—Samir Patel, entrepreneur; investor, Trophy Point Investment Group; instructor of entrepreneurship, Georgia State University
“This tale is an excellent guide for first-time entrepreneurs. Cap Treeger takes the reader on an enjoyable, entertaining tale highlighting the pitfalls and opportunities of starting a business. Finding the Way is packed with useful information for entrepreneurs and potential investors. And it is very instructive for those who wish to be mentors of entrepreneurs.”—Doug Johns, mentor; former senior executive, Internet Security Systems and Compaq; former chairman and CEO, Monorail Computer Company and Nivis
“This outstanding business novel packs more value than any ‘how-to’ book on entrepreneurship. It’s a very personalized story through all phases of the startup journey. The protagonist masters the art of building a company rather than just a successful product, and he puts to best use the practical advice he is given along the way by his advisors and mentors. Countless restaurant meetings bring to the story the daily practicalities of how such wisdom is often passed along. You’ll develop an appetite for even more!”—Ben J Dyer, entrepreneur; investor; CEO; entrepreneur in residence, Advanced Technology Development Center
“This book is an excellent guide for every aspiring or established entrepreneur. Cap Treeger does a wonderful job of guiding the readers through a roller coaster journey, overcoming challenges and taking advantage of various opportunities in a fun and easily readable fable. This entrepreneurial journey is an excellent example of achieving the peak of success through clearly articulated vision, plan, perseverance, self-belief, continuous learning, and persistence. Finding the Way is a must-have guide for anyone who wants to build a prosperous organization.”—Dr. Srikanth Gaddam, president and CEO, ERPA; entrepreneur; angel investor; author, The Future of Disruptive Technologies, The Entrepreneurial Guide, The Leadership Guide, and Destination Success
“Finding the Way is a journey through the early life of a business and is packed with wisdom for the business, personal, and family life of every entrepreneur. Whether you are an entrepreneur or you are in a relationship with an entrepreneur, this book will give you a new perspective on the ups and downs of the founder’s life. You will want to dog ear, highlight, and scribble in the margins.”—David McMullen, co-founder, redpepper; entrepreneur; consultant; investor in creative organizations
“This story is one that many entrepreneurs live time and again. Not looking at their repeat missteps, they then wonder why they are not experiencing the success that they were expecting. This book allows you to travel the entrepreneur’s journey from a birds eye view first, without having to make those same miscalculations yourself. It’s like having a mentor to guide you through your journey but in a book—educational and entertaining!”—Kashi Sehgal, founder of Retaaza
“Finding the Way spoke to me! This novel emphasizes one of the most important lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs: starting, launching, and growing a business is never a straight line. Every entrepreneur’s journey is a roller coaster with surprises at every turn. This book should become required reading for founders or anyone who has wondered ‘What is it really like to start a business?’ Whether it’s employee drama, late-night crazy stories, or software bugs that create problems you never expect, there is never a dull moment. The stories and lessons included in Finding the Way are invaluable for entrepreneurs at every stage and scale.”—Johnson Cook, co-founder, Greenlight Financial Technology
