Mission Possible: How to build a business for our times

by Alexandre Mars

Overview

"Cuts to the core of the entrepreneurial adventure. Truly remarkable". - Alex Chung, Co-founder, Giphy
"An invaluable read for anyone wanting to build a successful, sustainable, and socially impactful business". - Andy Puddicombe, Co-founder, Headspace

You want to build your own business.

A business that is profitable and works to propel progress in the world.
  
 An impossible dream?

Not for Alexandre Mars. Part of a new generation of philanthropists, he is one of the world's most respected entrepreneurs. After founding and selling a string of successful tech starts ups, today he runs a global mission-driven foundation. He works for profit and purpose.

Now you can achieve this too.
  
Packed with ideas, tips and practical examples, Mission Possible gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to become an entrepreneur with a purpose. This is your guide to create, launch and grow your own business. You will discover that it is possible to make money and have a bigger mission too.
  
 Get to work and take your lead from insider interviews with many of the world's changemaker entrepreneurs such as the founder of Pinterest and the Buddhist monk who created Headspace. Define your mission then work harder and smarter on it than anyone else.
  
Start a successful business and use it to become the true driver of change.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781399804011
Publisher:	Mobius
Publication date:	01/17/2023
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Alexandre Mars founded the EPIC foundation, a global non-profit foundation that works to change the lives of disadvantaged youth by providing innovative and systematic ways for individuals to give painlessly. Epic is headquartered in New York with offices in Brussels, London, Paris and San Francisco. He also runs the venture capital firm Blisce which invests in entrepreneurs building mission-driven consumer brands and technology. Since 2014 Blisce has invested in many breakout new companies including Spotify and Pinterest.

Table of Contents

About the Author vii

Introduction xi

1 There's No Such Thing as a 'Eureka' Moment 1

2 A Split Second Ahead of the Pack 11

3 Socrates, Confucius and Scooters 21

4 The 10,000-Hour Theory 29

5 You Can't Hit a Home Run if You Don't Swing the Bat 37

6 Design Thinking and Open Innovation 45

7 Accept Your Shortcomings! 53

8 Faster Alone … But Further Together? 63

9 SWOT: Know Thyself 73

10 Be Optimistic … Up to a Point 81

11 What's in a Name? 91

12 The Power of the Network 101

13 The 'Once in a Lifetime' Idea Happens Every Day 109

14 If You Pay Peanuts, You Get Monkeys 119

15 Never Lose Sight of Your Mission 127

16 The Art of Seducing the Investor 137

17 A Company Made for Its Time 149

18 When a Total Failure Is a Lucky Break 159

19 You're Going to Need More than Know-How 167

20 Luck (And How to Conjure It) 175

21 What Next? 185

Conclusion 195

Acknowledgements 197

Endnotes 201

Editorial Reviews

Mars demystifies what it takes to launch a successful business by sharing his journey and synthesising dozens of conversations with great entrepreneurs into a handful of critical insights for any current or aspiring entrepreneur.
 —Edward Roussel, Head of Digital, The Times and The Sunday Times

An invaluable read for anyone wanting to build a successful, sustainable, and socially impactful business.
 —Andy Puddicombe, Co-founder, Headspace

Cuts to the core of the entrepreneurial adventure. Truly remarkable.
 —Alex Chung, Co-founder, Giphy

It is so great to be inspired by a seasoned entrepreneur like Alexandre who has decided to spend the rest of his life on doing good. His work allows you to start your journey, define your mission, and contribute to changing the world. Look no further!
 —Lucie Basch, Co-founder, Too Good To Go

A roadmap to help you navigate through the twists and turns of entrepreneurship. We all have our fears and our dreams. If you’re struggling with the choice of where to go next, look no further than Mission Possible.
 —Tony Fadell, iPod inventor, Nest founder, bestselling author of Build

If you are passionate about changing the world through real business ideas and solutions, this book expertly lays out ideas from Alexandre and his unparalleled network of changemakers.
 —Kimbal Musk, chef, entrepreneur and philanthropist

From the Publisher