Get tested and proven advice on how to navigate risk and succeed in all phases of business ownership from a successful entrepreneur who turned a small startup into a billion-dollar company. Self-made billionaire and Paychex founder Tom Golisano understands the fears, risks, and challenges small-business owners face every day. He has launched and grown his own highly successful business and mentored dozens of entrepreneurs, helping them build their own fruitful companies. Golisano knows how nervous aspiring business owners are about the risks of entrepreneurship. Now, he’s sharing the startup-to-exit secrets to success and how he turned $3,000 into $28 billion dollars. Built, Not Born shows you: How going against the grain can be a great strategy for finding business opportunities and why it pays to question conventional wisdom. Why the pregnant pause can be an effective weapon in negotiations and when interviewing potential employees. Why a prenuptial or even a postnuptial agreement is critical to any business owner. What potential buyers and funding sources look for, and the best way to present a business plan. And finally, the key growth and leadership strategies that have helped Paychex sustain its incredible level of growth and profitability. Built, Not Born provides a direct and practical approach on how to overcome everyday challenges. This essential handbook is a key resource for current and aspiring entrepreneurs on how to start, grow, and operate a successful business.

Top praise for this unique inside look at the winning secrets of successful entrepreneurship: A great reference guide that I wish had been available when I started my business back in 1951!--Lillian Vernon, Founder and Chief Executive Officer Lillian Vernon Corporation. What a boost to the entrepreneurial spirit! After reading Entrepreneurs Are made Not Born, those who have hesitated will be inspired to make their dream a reality.--Jay Pritzker, Hyatt Hotels. Excellent book--a must read.--Peter J. Shea, CEO, Entrepreneur Magazine. Shefsky really understands entrepreneurs--Must reading for anyone who wants to be an entrepreneur, and especially for those who finance, work with, or study entrepreneurs.--Don Jacobs, Dean, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.

Sanders offers parents the unique perspective of the child in guiding them through the agony and joy of raising a child with aspirations of greatness.

"Make Disciples." Jesus' command is clear. But what is a disciple? And how are we to "make" them? Based on decades of experience, this book explains and illustrates the process of disciple-making that Jesus taught and modeled. First published in 1974, its practical, biblical approach has revolutionized the ministry of hundreds of thousands of Christians as they learned how to multiply themselves in the lives of others. Disciple-making is challenging, to be sure. But as we are faithful to Christ's Great Commission, we'll experience the fulfillment that comes from being faithful to the life mission to which God has called us.

Entrepreneurs, business owners, investors: here is the rare, no-nonsense advice you haven’t heard—straight from Paychex founder and billionaire philanthropist Tom Golisano—to overcome the most common (and some not so common) obstacles to live a successful life. Watching his father struggle to support his family through bigotry and other challenges in being an Italian immigrant, Tom Golisano learned early on the value of thinking outside the box and not letting perception sway your view of reality. Now, for the first time, Golisano shares the political shenanigans, behind the scenes stories, significant characters from his remarkable life, and key insights to thrive in your career. Filled with humor and wisdom, The Italian Kid Did It!: Reveals the secrets behind much of Golisano’s success and teaches you how to apply those same success-hacks to your own life. Emboldens you to see the world differently in terms of what’s possible despite what others may have you believe. Entertains and enlightens you along the way, with Golisano’s stories of running for Governor two times, purchasing a failing NHL franchise, the Buffalo Sabres, and dry sense of humor throughout. The American Dream is possible to all of us if we are willing to take risks and work for it. The stories, wisdom, and insight in The Italian Kid Did It! just might be the shortcut you need to get there faster.

Books, magazine articles, and educational programs on entrepreneurship are all based on the idea that anyone can be an entrepreneur—that entrepreneurs are made, not born. Well, maybe not. In a study of 234 CEOs funded by the Kauffman Foundation, James L. Fisher and James V. Koch came up with a surprising conclusion: Some individuals are simply more naturally fitted to become entrepreneurs than others. They are pre-wired. Because of heredity, some people are much more likely to become successful entrepreneurs or pursue entrepreneurial strategies within a corporate setting profitably. By recognizing that, this book will significantly improve corporate selection processes, strengthen entrepreneurship programs, and boost the confidence of aspiring entrepreneurs through invaluable insights. Among other things, Fisher and Koch show that true entrepreneurs not only see the world differently—they act differently. Compared with corporate managers, for example, they are more confident, more decisive, more likely to upset the apple cart, and more energetic. They love to compete but are notable for the partnerships they are able to fashion with friend and foe alike. Such conclusions are remarkable. Why? Because they are based on the only empirical comparison study yet conducted on entrepreneurship. The insights are not based on personal opinion or case studies but on valid and reliable personality indicators. Because the book shows that certain kinds of people will find it much easier to found successful companies than others, it has many practical applications. It will help organizations fit the right people into jobs requiring an entrepreneurial bent. It will challenge corporations to hire entrepreneurial CEOs who will transform businesses rather than maintain the status quo. And it will speak directly to entrepreneurs and those contemplating starting a business, who will learn if they have the right stuff to start and sustain a business. In short, this book provides insights into the entrepreneurial soul that can change the fortunes of individuals and companies for the better.

"Based on in-depth interviews with more than 200 leading entrepreneurs, [including the founders of LinkedIn, Chipotle, eBay, Under Armour, Tesla Motors, SpaceX, Spanx, Airbnb, PayPal, JetBlue, Gilt Group, Theranos, and Dropbox], a business executive and senior fellow at [the Harvard Kennedy School] identifies the six essential disciplines needed to transform your ideas into real-world successes, whether you're an innovative manager or an aspiring entrepreneur"--