The Business Idea Factory is an effective and easy-to-use system for creating successful business ideas. It is based on 10 years of research into idea-generation techniques used by the world's best scientists, artists, CEOs, entrepreneurs and innovators. The book is entertaining to read, has plenty of stories and offers bits of wisdom necessary to increase the quantity and quality of ideas that you create multiple times. Once you begin applying strategies described in this book, you will create successful business ideas regularly and make your life more adventurous. You will realize that there are few things that can bring as much joy and success in business as the moment when an excellent idea comes to your head.

The definitive history of America’s greatest incubator of innovation and the birthplace of some of the 20th century’s most influential technologies “Filled with colorful characters and inspiring lessons . . . The Idea Factory explores one of the most critical issues of our time: What causes innovation?” —Walter Isaacson, The New York Times Book Review “Compelling . . . Gertner's book offers fascinating evidence for those seeking to understand how a society should best invest its research resources.” —The Wall Street Journal From its beginnings in the 1920s until its demise in the 1980s, Bell Labs-officially, the research and development wing of AT&T-was the biggest, and arguably the best, laboratory for new ideas in the world. From the transistor to the laser, from digital communications to cellular telephony, it's hard to find an aspect of modern life that hasn't been touched by Bell Labs. In The Idea Factory, Jon Gertner traces the origins of some of the twentieth century's most important inventions and delivers a riveting and heretofore untold chapter of American history. At its heart this is a story about the life and work of a small group of brilliant and eccentric men-Mervin Kelly, Bill Shockley, Claude Shannon, John Pierce, and Bill Baker-who spent their careers at Bell Labs. Today, when the drive to invent has become a mantra, Bell Labs offers us a way to enrich our understanding of the challenges and solutions to technological innovation. Here, after all, was where the foundational ideas on the management of innovation were born.

The Business Playground is the definitive guide to creativity and innovation Written by musician/entrepreneur Dave Stewart and branding expert Mark Simmons, The Business Playground offers a revealing look at what creativity is and how to apply it in business through an inspiring mix of scientific studies, anecdotes, high-profile interviews, and thought-provoking games that you can play alone or with your co-workers. The Business Playground is not your average business book. Former Eurythmics band member Dave Stewart turns on his rock and roll charm with personal, inspirational stories from his own career as well as interviews with such innovative and influential thinkers as Mick Jagger, Microsoft’s Paul Allen, and Twitter’s Evan Williams. The legendary Sir Richard Branson makes a guest appearance as the author of the book’s foreword where he sets the tone for this quirky, fun, emminently useful guide to creative business thinking. Whether you’re running a one-man show or heading up a multinational corporation, you’ll discover new techniques for finding and harnessing your creative abilities and putting them to work for your business in this entertaining book. The Business Playground includes real-world examples of innovation in action, as well as substantial and practical techniques that you can use immediately to aid in creative thinking and problem solving. Play the games at the end of each chapter and you’ll learn how to: Ask the right questions so you can find the right answers Rediscover, train, and utilize your innate creative abilities Conduct “the perfect brainstorm”—yes, such a thing really does exist Create a work culture that’s conducive to creativity Help people collaborate with others within and outside of the organization Kill ideas that aren’t working before they waste too much time and too many resources In his foreword Sir Richard Branson says, “Dave and Mark’s enthusiasm for creativity and how it can be applied in business leaps off every page. The Business Playground will bring out the creative child inside all of us and I can’t imagine many readers being left uninspired to try it out for themselves. Their mix of insights about creativity, revealing examples, anecdotes, interviews with creative thinkers, and games make for an entertaining and informative read. If you get half as much out of this book as I did, you’re in for quite a treat.” Join in the fun with the Business Playground Facebook community at: www.facebook.com/businessplayground

The Magic of Public Speaking is a comprehensive step-by-step system for creating highly effective speeches. It is based on research from the top 1000 speakers in the modern world. The techniques you will learn have been tested on hundreds of professional speakers and work! You will receive the exact steps needed to create a speech that will keep your audience on the edge of their seats. The book is easy to follow, entertaining to read and uses many examples from real speeches. This system will make sure that every time you go on stage your speech is an outstanding one.

Small Business Ideas for Side Hustlers and Entrepreneurs Stop chasing money-making schemes and cookie-cutter businesses. Real success is personal and is achieved by finding the path on which YOU will thrive. The Book on Small Business Ideas will turn you into an idea and cash flow factory. You'll generate simple small business and side hustle ideas that are meaningful to you. You'll learn how to stay motivated, analyze your ideas, and launch them successfully. The small businesses and side hustles you create are there to generate income, help you fulfill your goals, and increase your freedom. The Book on Small Business Ideas is Your Success Playbook The Book on Small Business Ideas will take you through: ** Understanding your personal drivers, allowing you to generate ideas that achieve your goals. ** Finding your personal motivation to actually see your ideas through to reality. ** Evaluating your small business ideas and side hustles against real-world criteria to determine success potential. ** Launching your ideas effectively in today's competitive environment. The Book on Small Business Ideas is filled with exercises to help you find your passion, generate momentum, and stand out from the crowd. The concepts in this book won't put you at risk, and they won't be complicated. This book will show you how to make much more money on your own, spend time how you want, build a simple business, and quit your day job. We'll do this without putting you at risk financially and without the complexity many people associate with running a business. Alright--before we move on, let me address the three "buts" I hear most often... BUT starting a small business takes a lot of time, money, and financial risk! America used to be the land of opportunity; now, we have a world of opportunity! Technology has given us all an incredible gift. And yes, launching a small business takes time. But if you do this properly, you'll pick something you're excited to do! When you are brimming with excitement, you'll have no problem waking up a little earlier. You'll want to chase down your dreams and create a better life for yourself. In this book, you'll learn the tools and processes to make room for greatness. And best of all, I'll show you how to do this so your effort is up front, while your fruits last for years to come. BUT running a business is complicated! Many businesses are complicated. Complex processes, custom systems, layers of human resources, and teams of accountants abound! But who said businesses need to be complex? The best small businesses are simple! This is why I love the term "money machine." It embodies simplicity. This book will help you avoid the complexities and find the simplest path possible. And finally...BUT it takes someone special to stand out, and I'm not special! If you pick up this book, I think there's a good chance you are special. You are striving for more. You're ready to take control. You're ready to level up your life. Most people won't turn their dreams into reality. But I can help. This book will help you uncover your true drive. You will want to pour your passion into this. You will want to outhustle the competition. You will have the tools to stand out. No more BUTS! I've filled this book with exercises to help you find your passion, generate momentum, and stand out from the crowd. The concepts in this book won't put you at risk, and they won't be complicated. So, the only thing you stand to lose is opportunity. People are taking action every day...now it's your turn.

From the bestselling author of Developing Products in Half the Time, this book presents a comprehensive approach to managing design-in-process inventory.

The Wall Street Journal Bestseller featured in Bloomberg, Fast Company, Masters of Scale, the Motley Fool, Marketplace and more. An indispensable guide to building a startup and breaking down the barriers for diverse entrepreneurs from the visionary venture capitalist and pioneering entrepreneur Kathryn Finney. Build the Damn Thing is a hard-won, battle-tested guide for every entrepreneur who the establishment has left out. Finney, an investor and startup champion, explains how to build a business from the ground up, from developing a business plan to finding investors, growing a team, and refining a product. Finney empowers entrepreneurs to take advantage of their unique networks and resources; arms readers with responses to investors who say, “great pitch but I just don’t do Black women”; and inspires them to overcome naysayers while remaining “100% That B*tch.” Don’t wait for the system to let you in—break down the door and build your damn thing. For all the Builders striving to build their businesses in a world that has overlooked and underestimated them: this is the essential guide to knowing, breaking, remaking and building your own rules of entrepreneurship in a startup and investing world designed for and by the “Entitleds.”