The Intelligent Entrepreneur

By: Bill Murphy Jr.

Narrated by: Fred Berman, L. J. Ganser

Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Written with the cooperation of Harvard Business School, here is an instructive and inspiring book for anyone who dreams of starting a highly profitable business.

In 1998, three Harvard Business School graduates - two men and one woman - turned down six-figure salaries at big corporations, bet on themselves, and launched their own new companies. By their 10-year reunion, their audacity had paid huge dividends. They'd made many millions of dollars, created hundreds of jobs, and left their mark on the world.

The three entrepreneurs: Marc Cenedella (TheLadders.com), Marla Malcom Beck (Bluemercury.com), and Chris Michel (Military.com, Affinity Labs).

Based on dozens of interviews with highly successful entrepreneurs, Harvard Business School professors, and HBS alumni, The Intelligent Entrepreneur tells the compelling and instructive story of how these three young founders developed ideas, assembled teams, built ventures, and achieved their dreams. Along the way, they learned that starting great companies requires much more than a ferocious work ethic or good timing. Their hard-won insights distilled into 10 key rules that will help anyone become a successful entrepreneur. What they teach you at Harvard Business School is that intelligent entrepreneurship can be learned. In that spirit, Bill Murphy Jr. uses a unique combination of vivid storytelling and lucid instruction to tell would-be entrepreneurs how to improve their odds of creating dynamic, lasting businesses.

This audiobook includes an exclusive roundtable discussion with Marc Cenedella, Marla Malcom Beck, and Chris Michel.

©2010 Bill Murphy (P)2010 Audible, Inc

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Winner - Best Business/Educational Audiobook, 2011

"This is an excellent, thought-provoking overview of entrepreneurship... that uses actual cases to describe the challenges of starting a business and realizing success." ( Booklist)

"Narrators Fred Berman and L.J. Ganser split the narration, chapter by chapter, with one delivering the true-life accounts of three entrepreneurs who attended HBS while the other delivers the theoretical lessons to be learned from attending HBS." ( AudioFile)

Almost couldnt stop listening

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, the round table at the end was particularly good.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Intelligent Entrepreneur?

The back and forth from story to lesson.

What does Fred Berman and L. J. Ganser bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The readers were great but I could have had the same experience reading it on my own.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but way to much to take in and think about.

Very Inspiring!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is one of the best audio books on entrepreneurs I have listened to. I truly enjoyed how the story was read and the fact it was based on real life situations. It has truly inspired me, encouraged me and provoked me to not give up. I have recommended this book to a few entrepreneurs and will continue to do so. Many need to hear they are not the only one struggling with building their organization, and that truly perseverance, wisdom and a strong inner circle is needed and recommended in order to achieve their goals. The narration of this book kept my attention, the story line was well thought out and flowed seamlessly. I also enjoyed the live panel at the end to hear the voices and thoughts of the subjects of the book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Intelligent Entrepreneur?

There are several, I can't really pick one: The journey to HBS for each of them, the wise decisions when the economy was turning are two that stick out right now.

What about Fred Berman and L. J. Ganser ’s performance did you like?

Neither narrator had a monotone sound, they both read with passion. I truly enjoyed the switch from one to the other as it related to the chapters. It helped me to readily recognize where we were in the book. Either hearing the story of the subjects, or hearing the fundamentals of that particular scenario/circumstance.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I didn't cry, I did laugh as some points, but I was more provoked to thinking.

Any additional comments?

Great Book!

What a Great Little Gem of an Audiobook!

This is a fantastic, informative and revealing book. The author and narrators do a masterful job of navigating listeners through the lives, early stages and subsequent successes of several startups and their founders.

Great listen and I highly recommend this audiobook if you want a granular, microscopic peak into business startup dynamics.

wonderful, examples taken from real life...

Easy to understand, inspiring life stories, captivating lines. The steps described in the book are very functional.

Nicely illustrative!

I found this book to be a refreshing look at approaching entrepreneurship today. It is well worth your time. The approach taken by using autobiographical -like chapters mixed with more anlytical -like chapters, all centered around 10 key principles, I found to be quite enjoyable. The content of the 10 rules themselves are equally useful, although some seem bred from common sense (and do not take an HBS degree to realize). I don't think there is too much of a focus on HBS personally; I think it is used more as a common reference point for how entrepreneurship can be learned and not as a statement that HBS is where one must go to become an entrepreneur or learn such skills. It happens to be the place that helped foster these 10 rules for these entrepreneurs - but it could have just as easily been another school or even a peer group or simply lessons of life that might get one to the same discoveries. The end analysis for me is that I feel I got quite a lot of good information out of the book and it was also presented in an enjoyable way with interesting stories.

Good book

The book covers some of the key aspects if entrepreneurship. Highly motivational.

However it is not a how to manual

Must read for entrepreneurs

Would you listen to The Intelligent Entrepreneur again? Why?

Yes, in fact I read it twice. This is not particularly good for audio book, because I cannot flip back and forth for the info that I need.

Any additional comments?

As the name suggested, this book is about how to become an entrepreneur. But, more importantly, it is about how to become one intelligently. It starts off with why a lot of entrepreneurs fail. Then it presents 10 rules that will help you to become a successful entrepreneur. If you are planning on becoming an entrepreneur, you should really read this book. If you are not, you might as well read this book because it is quite intesting. It’s fun to read and along the way, who knows, you might change your mind and want to become an entrepreneur.
The author, Bill Murphy Jr., interviewed three Harvard Business School graduates --Christopher Michel, Mark Cenedella, and Marla Malcolm Beck--who had then successfully founded start-up companies. He then drew 10 rules to become a successful entrepreneur. It is what you should keep in mind if you’d like to become an entrepreneur.
The writing style is quite interesting. Murphy wrote the stories of those three HBS graduates in odd chapter, and explained the 10 rules in even chapters. This writing style makes the content a lot more juicy. Each chapter also has a quote from famous people, which I found quite interesting. Overall, I learned a lot from this book while enjoying the interesting stories of Michel, Cenedella, and Beck. I really like this book and I wouldn’t hesistate to recommend this book.
The audiobook version of this book is narrated by Fred Berman and L. J. Ganser. I like his narration. His voice is strong and tonal. It keeps me engaged throughout all the listening. At the end of the audiobook, there is a special roundtable discussion featuring Bill Murphy Jr., hristopher Michel, Mark Cenedella, and Marla Malcolm Beck. It’s interesting to know that these people really exist, and to hear things from their own words.

Real Life Examples

I really like this book. The real life examples put theory to the test. Other than the sometimes annoying "shout out" to the Harvard Business School, this book was very interesting. It allows you to learn from the real life decisions that were needed to start, survive and cash out three real life businesses. Its good for anyone doubting their potential entrepreneurial abilities.

The how to book for Entrepreneurs

An amazing book, with great stories of individuals that bet it all and then some to make their ideas come to life. The ups and downs, frustrations and celebrations. If you own your own business you will enjoy this, if you have wanted to start your own business this is a must read. Narration is wonderful, the story is never slows down. You don't want it to end. Please write a sequel. Its not what you know, its how much drive and determination you may have.

Must read

Amazing book, great story that gives you hands on and real advice for starting and operating your business. Must read