The One Minute Entrepreneur: The Secret to Creating and Sustaining a Successful Business

by Ken Blanchard, Ethan Willis

Overview

Mega-bestselling author Ken Blanchard and celebrated business leaders Don Hutson and Ethan Willis present an inspiring story that reveals the secrets to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

In THE ONE MINUTE ENTREPRENEUR, Ken Blanchard (coauthor of the #1 bestselling business classic The One Minute Manager), Don Hutson, CEO of U.S. Learning, and Ethan Willis, CEO of Prosper Learning, tell the inspiring story of one man’s challenges in creating his own business. Through a powerful and engaging narrative, we confront many of the typical problems all entrepreneurs face in starting up their business, from finding new sources of revenue to securing the commitment of their people and the loyalty of their customers. More important, we learn the secrets to becoming a successful entrepreneur, including how to build a firm foundation, how to ensure a steady cash flow, and how to create legendary service. In addition, the book offers invaluable advice, delivered through One Minute Insights, from such entrepreneurs and thinkers as Sheldon Bowles, Peter Drucker, Michael Gerber, and Charlie “Tremendous” Jones.

Today, in the midst of the largest entrepreneurial surge in U.S. history, four out of five small businesses continue to fail. THE ONE MINUTE ENTREPRENEUR offers businesspeople and would-be entrepreneurs a treasure trove of wisdom on how to think, act, and succeed in creating and sustaining a business, no matter what their industry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780385526975
Publisher:	Crown Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/29/2008
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Ken Blanchard is an internationally bestselling author and motivational speaker whose books have sold more than eighteen million copies in thirty languages. He lives in San Diego, California.

Don Hutson is the CEO of U.S. Learning, a training firm that delivers innovative, high-impact solutions to improve learning in organizations. An active speaker, Hutson was on the founding board of the National Speakers Association and served as its third president. He is the author of several books and lives in Memphis, Tennessee.

Ethan Willis is the CEO of Prosper Learning, Inc., a winner of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award and a global leader in entrepreneurial coaching, with more than 150,000 students in seventy-six countries. He lives in South Pasadena, California.

Table of Contents

Foreword     xiii
A Note to Readers     xv
Building a Firm Foundation     1
Growing in Knowledge     9
Learning the Craft     18
Catching the Entrepreneurial Bug     26
Gaining a Vital Teammate     30
A Door Opens     36
Launching the Company     44
Financial Growing Pains     52
Creating Legendary Service     61
Helping People Soar Like Eagles     79
Ego Issues     93
Turning Things Around     105
Putting It All Together     112
Building a Legacy     125
Top 20 Attributes of Successful Entrepreneurs     130
Acknowledgments     131
Selected Readings     134
Services Available     136

Editorial Reviews

Advance Praise for The One Minute Entrepreneur

“Ken Blanchard, the master storyteller and brilliant consultant/trainer, focuses his unique wisdom and keen insights on helping entrepreneurs achieve enduring success. Another grand slam!”
- Stephen R. Covey, author, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness

“Ken Blanchard invented the art of business fables, and he and his co-authors have written another winner.  This is a wonderful mix practicality and entertainment.  A quick, must read for anyone with an inkling for going out on their own, and probably just as relevant for readers interested in personal and professional improvement.” 
— Patrick Lencioni, president, The Table Group; author, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.

“Don Hutson and Ken Blanchard have done a beautiful job teaching the essence of entrepreneurship.”
-Zig Ziglar, author and motivational teacher

“Filled with gems of wisdom. Read it if you’re serious about reinventing your life.”
—Mark Sanborn, president, Sanborn and Associates, and author of The Fred Factor and You Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader

“There is much said about stewardship in life and business…however, the greatest stewardship is of influence. The One Minute Entrepreneur will teach you the importance of influence and inspire you to choose mentors wisely.”
—Jim Amos, chairman emeritus, UPS

“We each have a lot more to learn and a lot more to teach. The One Minute Entrepreneur will help you do both.”
—R. Brad Martin, chairman of the board, Saks Incorporated

“The One Minute Entrepreneur will help you understand that while success might be easier said than done, focusing on a few essentials will dramatically increase your probability of success—and help you have fun doing it.”
—Michael E. Gerber, entrepreneur and author of The E-Myth, The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Fail and What to Do About It, and Awakening the Entrepreneur Within

From the Publisher

Saying that entrepreneurial success requires steady attention to a business's finances, employees, and customers, the veteran authors and coaches know how to give common-sense advice enormous power to influence. This advice can make an individual life meaningful, as well as make a business successful. The lesson gains credibility through its consistent focus on leading with the heart, doing humanitarian activities, and developing one's interpersonal skills and personal discipline. Professional narrator Sam Freed captures these emphases well. His inspirational speaking style is similar to that of many narrators of Christian books without sounding evangelical or judgmental. Overall, he brings the production to life without calling attention to his considerable talent. T.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

JULY 2008 - AudioFile