The Persistence Of Entrepreneurship Myths

Triggered largely by claims that small businesses were the main source of new jobs, an ‘explosion’ of interest in enterprise, entrepreneurs and small business has led to the establishment of a conventional wisdom about enterprise. Mistaken theories can become influential and examining the conventional enterprise wisdom indicates that much of it is questionable. If that is the case, a reassessment is needed. While wilful blindness and continuing to do more of the same is a natural response, it will not lead to improvements in knowledge. A new paradigm requires a step change in thinking, which is not easy to initiate. Nevertheless, accepting the evidence for the errors in current understanding and practice is a necessary first step if enterprise and its benefits are to be better understood and promoted. This book examines the conventional wisdom around enterprise, entrepreneurs and small businesses and illustrates not only why and how this could have evolved, but also why it could be based on a set of mistaken assumptions. Correcting the foundational knowledge on which enterprise and policy and practice rely and finding a new paradigm will result in better teaching and more effective policy. It will therefore be of interest to researchers, academics, students and policy makers in the fields of enterprise and entrepreneurship.

“This book dispels the myths surrounding the process of starting a business, and gives hope and encouragement to people who would like to give it a try.” –Tim Berry, Founder and CEO, Palo Alto Software Creators of the World’s Most Popular “Bruce Barringer and Duane Ireland’s new book, What’s Stopping You? is an insightful and thought-provoking examination of nine common myths that discourage individuals from starting new businesses. ... This book is much-needed and long overdue.... The value of What’s Stopping You? is that it effectively debunks the false premises that too often preclude acts of business start up. What’s Stopping You? is an encouraging, instructive, and eloquently written book that would be a valuable addition to any aspiring entrepreneur’s bookshelf.” Jeffrey G. Covin, Samuel and Pauline Glaubinger Professor of Entrepreneurship, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana “Over the years I have observed many seemingly great business opportunities never get off the ground. Quite often, what holds these aspiring entrepreneurs back are common misconceptions about the difficulties and risks of starting a new business. In What’s Stopping You?, Professors Barringer and Ireland systematically break down the myths that hold many entrepreneurs back from pursuing their dreams.” Jeffrey R. Cornwall, The Jack C. Massey Chair in Entrepreneurship, Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee “Barringer and Ireland simultaneously demystify start-up misconceptions and empower readers to explore their own opportunity with renewed passion. Many prospective entrepreneurs feel trapped by myths, the authors carefully detail the myth’s fallacies and encourage the reader to see beyond start-up stereotypes. Future and experienced entrepreneurs have much to learn from What’s Stopping You?” Sarah Schupp, Founder/CEO, University Parent Media, Boulder, Colorado “Creating your own business from scratch can be a mental, emotional, and financial roller coaster ride. Bruce Barringer and Duane Ireland’s book provides a ‘voice of reason’ and helps give you the confidence to realize you can do it. They recognize that starting a business is hard work, but that it is attainable–and that you should celebrate your accomplishments every step of the way.” Jan Stephenson Kelly, Cofounder/CEO, Spark Craft Studios, Cambridge, MA Business Plan Software Follow Your Dream! Start Your Own Winning Business—Now! •Get past the myths that keep you from making the leap •Gain the practical skills and confidence you need to succeed •Quickly evaluate business ideas and pick a winner •Launch your company and watch it grow and profit Build the business you’ve always dreamed of! Take control of your future and achieve the breakthrough success that’s only possible when you’re working for yourself. You can do it–and this book will show you how. Forget the myths that have been standing in your way. You don’t need to be rich. You don’t need extensive business experience. You don’t need to be a genius. You don’t need a revolutionary product or service. You can handle the risk, the competition, and the challenges. The proof’s on every page of this book: case studies of “ordinary” people building great businesses and practical techniques you can use, too–every step of the way!

Did you know only 1 in 5,000 people build million $ businesses? It is statistically similar to the probability of playing a professional sport. Yet successful entrepreneurs go from industry to industry replicating their success time and time again. Wonder why? The business information you get in school is taught by employees of the universities not successful entrepreneurs. Stop businesses listening to people who only pretend to have businesses on Instagram. Learn from a proven entrepreneur with decades of experience in 1,000's of business. You will learn common tactics used by the 1 in 5,000 people who build million $ businesses. Including the areas of: Entrepreneur mindset Time management strategies Sales & marketing Cash flow management Leadership & management Written by top business consultant. Josh Spurrell, CPA

Bringing hard data to the way we think about entrepreneurial success, this bold call to action draws on the latest scientific evidence to dispel the most pervasive startup myths and light a path to entrepreneurship for those eclipsed by the hype. When you think of a successful entrepreneur, who comes to mind? Bill Gates? Mark Zuckerberg? Or maybe even Jesse Eisenberg, the man who played Zuckerberg in The Social Network? It may surprise you that most successful founders look very different from Zuckerberg or Gates. In fact, most startup origin stories are very different from the famous "unicorns" that have achieved valuations of over $1 billion, from Facebook to Google to Uber. In The Unicorn's Shadow: Combating the Dangerous Myths that Hold Back Startups, Founders, and Investors, Wharton School professor Ethan Mollick takes us to the forefront of an empirical revolution in entrepreneurship. New data and better research methods have overturned the conventional wisdom behind what a successful founder looks like, how they succeed, and how the startup ecosystem works. Among the issues he examines: Which founders are most likely to succeed?Where do the best startup ideas come from?What's the most foolproof way of securing the funding needed to take a company to the next level?Should your sales pitch really be something out of Hollywood?What's the best way to grow and scale your company and create a thriving culture that won't hinder expansion? Mollick argues that entrepreneurship is too important, both for society and for the individuals who start companies, to be eclipsed by the shadows of unicorns. He shows we can democratize entrepreneurship—but only by following an evidence-based approach that puts to rest the false narratives that surround it.

With over forty-five years of sales and entrepreneurial experience, George J. Trovao analyzes the keys to creating and maintaining a successful business enterprise. He illustrates how exertion and steady professional growth can provide vast rewards and encourages the avoidance of procrastination while remaining cautiously aggressive when planning a strategy to become an entrepreneur. Entrepreneur: Power, Myths and Magic provides the preparatory tools needed to start and successfully maintain a business, tips to maintain a positive mental attitude, and encouragement to share the fruits of your labor so that you will prosper. Trovao feels it's necessary to understand the downside of business and assimilate it into the upside for an enduring and exciting journey of wealth and prosperity. His nuggets of wisdom include how to tap into a universal power, do less and accomplish more while maintaining a sense of urgency. Trovao's enthusiasm and persistence are inspirational for people thinking about taking the risk to start their own business. His instruction to duplicate yourself and duplicate your own efforts through others can accelerate wealth-building opportunities for all participants. He shows how to develop new habits, take the required action to achieve your goals, and watch your business thrive. Entrepreneur: Power, Myths and Magic provides the preparatory tools needed to start and successfully maintain a business, tips to maintain a positive mental attitude, and encouragement to share the fruits of your labor so that you will prosper. Trovao feels it's necessary to understand the downside of business and assimilate it into the upside for an enduring and exciting journey of wealth and prosperity. His nuggets of wisdom include how to do less and accomplish more while maintaining a sense of urgency. Trovao's enthusiasm and persistence are inspirational for people thinking about taking the risk to start their own business. His instruction to duplicate yourself and duplicate your own efforts through others can accelerate wealth-building opportunities for all participants. He shows how to develop new habits, take the required action to achieve your goals, and watch your business thrive.

There are far more entrepreneurs than most people realize. But the failure rate of new businesses is disappointingly high, and the economic impact of most of them disappointingly low, suggesting that enthusiastic would-be entrepreneurs and their investors all too often operate under a false set of assumptions. This book shows that the reality of entrepreneurship is decidedly different from the myths that have come to surround it. Scott Shane, a leading expert in entrepreneurial activity in the United States and other countries, draws on the data from extensive research to provide accurate, useful information about who becomes an entrepreneur and why, how businesses are started, which factors lead to success, and which predict a likely failure. The Illusions of Entrepreneurship is an essential resource for everyone who has dreamed of starting a new business, for investors in start-ups, for policy makers attempting to facilitate the formation and survival of new businesses, and for researchers interested in the economic impact of entrepreneurial activity. Scott Shane offers research-based answers to these questions and many others: · Why do people start businesses? · What industries are popular for start-ups? · How many jobs do new businesses create? · How do entrepreneurs finance their start-ups? · What makes some locations and some countries more entrepreneurial than others? · What are the characteristics of the typical entrepreneur? · How well does the typical start-up perform? · What strategies contribute to the survival and profitability of new businesses over time?

In this entrepreneurial age, it's very tempting to leave your job to start your own business. Before you do, learn all you can from the best. This book is just that. World renowned bestselling author and business consultant Brian Tracy tells you about one of today's most needed skill sets, entrepreneurship, covering these important topics: MYTHS of entrepreneurship BEST business choice for you FINANCING the business SHIFTING from employee mindset to entrepreneurial mindset CREATING a realistic business plan HIRING the best and managing for success FUELING your business growth with sales and marketing This book is designed to help anyone who wants to start or grow a business. Let Brian Tracy teach you the science of entrepreneurship, tested and proven not just for years, but for millennia. If you simply study the ideas in this book, and apply them, you too, can become a successful entrepreneur. KIRKUS REVIEW A hard-line path to successful entrepreneurship for beginners...Aspiring entrepreneurs will benefit from Tracy's straightforward strategies.

For many years, entrepreneurship has been considered as one of the most important solutions to the three-pronged challenges, poverty, unemployment and inequality, of most African countries. A recent development that has undoubtedly compounded the challenges that African entrepreneurs face and further impede the economic growth impact is Covid-19. This pandemic has exerted severe damage to economies and businesses globally. For the African setting, the implications of Covid-19 on businesses and individuals would be enormous, as African societies are rarely equipped to absorb unexpected shocks of this magnitude as the social and welfare schemes are far below requirements. This book illuminates entrepreneurship in the African setting, focusing on the prospects, challenges, and the post-Covid-19 pandemic future. It aims to offer a rich repository of information on strategies and techniques for sustaining entrepreneurial activities that can enrich African nations and will be of relevance to academics, researchers, advanced students, entrepreneurs, governments, and government agencies who are interested in understanding issues relating to entrepreneurship development within the African continent.