It seems like these days, whenever you look at a newsstand, at least one major business magazine has a cover story about a wildly successful entrepreneur in his or her 20s or 30s. That's not surprising when one considers that one out of every five small-business owners in America is under 35, and that more young people are starting businesses than ever before. Right now, in college dorm rooms and their parents' garages, the next generation of Sam Waltons, Bill Gateses, and Michael Dells are hard at work. "If you are ever going to take risks in exploring your career options, this is the absolute best time to do it," says 26-year-old entrepreneurial expert Jennifer Kushell. "Why wait until you have a semi-stable corporate job and major financial obligations to discover that you hate your career and need to make a big change?" Kushell is the ideal mentor for young people thinking about taking the plunge. Her very successful Young Entrepreneurs Network educates teens and twentysomethings in 40 countries about forming their own companies. A born entrepreneur -- her father and aunt are leading experts on franchising and trademark licensing, respectively -- Kushell presided over her own company's growth while attending college full-time. Her book draws on her invaluable hands-on experience: "It's not so much a how-to-start-a-business book as it is a how-to-cope-with-life-while-starting-and-succeeding-in-your-own-business book," the author says. "All I can say is that this is the real deal, the real story." With wit, candor and exuberance for her subject, Kushell gives practical and personal insight from a young entrepreneur's point of view to help new business owners get through their first few years. The book "also teaches you tricks of the trade that you can rely on to compete successfully in a business world with people twice your age and companies God-knows-how-many-times-as big," she adds. The Young Entrepreneur's Edge addresses key topics such as trying to obtain capital and writing a business plan, which, the author says, are among the biggest obstacles for young entrepreneurs. But the book also tackles critical areas that other business books rarely address: how to get older people to take you seriously; how not to starve when you're broke; how to win your family's approval; how to get out and meet important people; how not to get carded when entertaining clients; and other unique situations faced by young business people. Praise for The Young Entrepreneur's Edge "Fresh college graduates frustrated by the job search should pick up a copy of [this book]." --"Los Angeles Times" "Can help both job-seekers and job-holders rethink their idea of gainful employment." --"Mademoiselle" "Entertaining, fast-reading, and immensely sensible. Kushell is a human dynamo." --"Sacramento Bee" "Every young entrepreneur needs good ideas, and this book is full of them." --Fred Deluca, founder and president of Subway(R) Restaurants "It is a must-read for my students." --Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D., The Entrepreneur Program, University of Southern California

James Vena is an innovative and strategic thinker who has influenced key decision-makers globally in business development and revenue growth strategies. For more than thirty years, James has built a resume that encompasses a wide range of industries and expertise in sales, marketing, entrepreneurship, finance, merger arbitrage, technology and executive management. He has successfully developed innovative, high growth businesses and restructured companies that immediately demonstrated accelerated sales and profit growth. His 30 year career has been marked by success across many countries and industries. This track record has established James's credentials as both a seasoned internationally astute executive and a disruptive innovator with a quick and fearless mind to seize opportunities along with the ability to articulate the mission needed to achieve specific goals. Mr. Vena's career started as a China trader of commodities in the early 1980's for a large US firm. After 5 years, he founded his own trading company at 26 and over the next 20 years developed that company into an internationally recognized brand with offices in 24 locations in some 15 countries. After retiring as CEO and Founder of his global trading company to take a 5-year sabbatical in order to care for his cancer stricken wife and help raise the couple's young children, the always energetic James unretired and re-entered the world of international business. However, this time focusing on his past experiences, leadership skills and entrepreneurial mind-set to help develop and grow small businesses and early stage ventures. James's entrepreneurial mind-set and dynamic personality combined with high energy, passion and purposeful manner, makes him an effective inspirational and motivational communicator. James has been mentoring entrepreneurs, lecturing students and publicly speaking to corporate leaders on the importance of cultural awareness, social responsibility, entrepreneurship, benevo

Looks at Silicon Valley's business environment, and what features have made it a fertile ground for start-up companies who develop radical and disruptive technologies.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! The Sustainable Edge: Fifteen Minutes a Week to a Richer Entrepreneurial Life was written for business owners who are seeking a fuller, more rewarding work-life balance. In this easy-to-reference, practical guide authors and entrepreneurs Ron Carson and Scott Ford share personal anecdotes to their own career successes. Each chapter is designed to inspire entrepreneurs to define and sustain a competitive edge in the complex, fast-changing world of business. Relying on insights and proprietary tools based on decades of experience, the authors teach you how to achieve your goals across four key areas: your business, your teams, your clients, and your personal lives. In this book you will learn the authors’ trademarked Business Implementation Quotient (IQ) Grower process that appears in the form of end-of-chapter exercises. These easy-to-perform exercises can be completed in as little as 15 minutes per week to help your company boost its own Business IQ. This work is an important read for entrepreneurs in search of achieving the sustainable edge in their careers and their lives.

From "the guru" of her generation (U.S. News & World Report) comes the first practical book for achieving extraordinary success regardless of your age or experienceWhat does it take to go for the gold - and get it - before you've gone gray? Secrets of the Young & Successful explains how youth and inexperience can actually work for you even if you don't have a dazzling resume or major league connections. Jennifer Kushell and Scott Kaufman, founders of Young & Successful Media Corp., reveal the steps and strategies for charting a nonconventional path to success, including how to: Make important connections that will lead to access and power * Position your offbeat skills and interests as irresistible talents and strengths * Gain critical insight on how to survive and thrive in any career * Weather life's storms with safety nets that mitigate mistakes * Balance work and the rest of your lifePacked with profiles, anecdotes, and key ideas for strategizing, Secrets of the Young & Successful is an express ticket for anyone seeking an edge in getting ahead.

Describes the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur, explains how to start and run a business, and offers tips on costs, investment, market research, and negotiation.