Review of Shoestring Venture: The Startup Bible, by Richard Hooker and Steve Monas

If you’re looking for an inspirational book that will help you achieve the right mindset for business success, look elsewhere.

But if you’re looking for a bible of resources that will teach you everything from writing business plans to exit strategies, Shoestring Venture is it.

I was overwhelmed, at first, by the sheer size of the book. But then I realized that Shoestring Venture isn’t a book you read from start to finish. It’s a tome you can return to again and again for help on search engine optimization, hiring virtual assistants, setting up shopping carts, and anywhere else you might need guidance.

Topics include:

•    Starting a business
•    Finding investors
•    Managing finances and taxes
•    Getting the right hardware
•    Software on a budget
•    Outsourcing back office
•    Product development
•    Outsourcing IT
•    Making websites work
•    Marketing and promotions

Each section is short and to the point, with bullet points and action items that make it easy to find the information you need without having to skim through a lot of filler.

Much of Shoestring Venture applies to startups with products to sell. Because I don’t fit that category (at least not at present) I found myself skipping through the chapters that deal with concepting, testing and e-commerce.

But it also offers a wealth of marketing tips and other information that applies to service providers such as myself. Shoestring Venture even has a section on the aspects that distinguish good copy from bad, and how to outsource that part of business when the time comes.

Get Your Own Copy of Shoestring Venture

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