Do More Faster

TechStars Lessons to Accelerate Your Startup

By: Brad Feld, David Cohen

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

It is a cold, hard fact of business life that most startups fail. Even many of those entrepreneurs who ultimately succeed have stories of personal challenges, unsuccessful companies, and difficulties along the way. The founders of TechStars, a mentorship-driven startup accelerator, have worked with entrepreneurs and companies over the past twenty-five years, and have seen a number of the same issues come up again and again.

In Do More Faster, the founders of TechStars identify the key issues that first-time entrepreneurs encounter, and offer proven advice from successful entrepreneurs who have worked with the TechStars program.

The authors organize the most critical issues into seven themes: Idea and Vision, People, Execution, Product, Fundraising, Legal and Structure, and Work and Life Balance. Many of the examples are personal experiences from the entrepreneurs themselves, integrated into a cohesive narrative - while at the same time able to stand on their own. Throughout the book, they debunk numerous myths about startups and reveal some surprising truths. They explain, for instance, that the core of a startup is not always a world-changing and earth-shattering idea - in fact, it is often the case that successful startups started out doing something else.

They also underscore the efficiency of execution: great entrepreneurs know how to synthesize data, make a decision about the path they are going down, and execute. And they offer some alternatives to traditional ways of raising money, while stressing that you shouldn't start with the assumption that you need to raise money.

Mastering the seven themes may not ensure success, but understanding the issues, reading the stories, and getting advice pertaining to these issues will increase your chances dramatically. And if nothing else, you'll realize that you aren't alone in facing these challenges.

©2010 Brad Feld, David Cohen (P)2011 Gildan Media Corp

Critic reviews

"Remember when experience mattered? Thanks to this book, no matter how new to your field or how young or inexperienced you are, you can learn from people who have actually done it. Sure beats failing." (Seth Godin, author of Linchpin)

Tips for Every Entrepreneur

The authors of this book run a well-respected program for high tech entrepreneurs, but even if you're a not a software person, the tips in this book about starting, running, and planning a business are extremely valuable. So many of the chapters stick with me months after I listened, especially "fail fast." Some tips are complex and structural for how to set up a business. Other tips are light such as "don't suck at e-mail." A great education.

Good outline, little substance.

Solid high level advice. But if you are looking for a field guide on doing more faster, this isn't it.

Pretty Good listen

I would recommend this audiobook. It is going to especially be good for people who are not familiar at all with getting involved with a start up. If you do have some family already, then it's not as good of an experience. The beginning section I felt was a little repetitive. It was saying the same thing over and over again. However, the later sections started having some really good takeaways.

One of my favorite chapters was the one about not getting screwed twice. And there's another good chapter about a form to make sure you have otherwise if you get acquired, you will have a lot more income tax to pay.

Just for those main lesson learning chapters that really stood out to me, I intend to buy this book to keep it on my bookshelf.

Great book for general do's and don'ts for StartUp

I went into this book thinking it would teach me about how to increase productivity, however it was more about general guidelines for any startup. It is definitely a book I would loved to have read before my first startup. All the advice in there is from experience and if you heed it, you will be leaps and bounds ahead in your startup career!

8 hr infomercial for Techstars

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

These guys are putting this book out to promote their company. Which is fine when done subtly, but they say Techstars so many times it becomes noticeable. Very few entrepreneurial principles being expressed compared to other entrepreneurial books.

An absolute MUST READ for every entrepreneur

Which character ??? as performed by Sean Pratt ??? was your favorite?

I think learned the most from Alex White's multiple stories. No wonder he features so prominently in the book--he's a really smart businessman.

Any additional comments?

Everyone in the startup world and every entrepreneur regardless of whether you're in tech, bio, green, industry, or lemonade stands, should read this book. Each chapter is a lesson learned the hard way by a TechStars company founder. Plus, after each chapter David Cohen & Brad Feld (founders of TechStars) give their thoughts.

Immediate lessons during your startup

Part of the "lean startup" methodology, this gives quick lessons on various topics for new businesses. Useful things to keep in mind during your launch phases.

Straight to the point, based on what works.

What did you love best about Do More Faster?

There was little to no "fluff" like I tend to find in many business books. Do More Faster just cuts straight to the most important points, based on David Cohen and Brad Feld's experiences with Techstars. For any budding entrepreneurs, this is what we want, less chatter and more actionable points.

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

Yes

Some good points, but it could be a lot better

Some very good points, here and there, on important issues, but I finished the book feeling that the authors could...do more, better. There is also a lot of Boulder this, Boulder That said, it is still worth it.that, or so and so has been XYZ at Techstars. The word Techstars is mentioned so many times that it becomes a distraction. It is probably caused by the format of the book : a collection of advice from Techstars related people.

Get Business Educated Better

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

Rich with information every new start up should have a grasp of before venturing forward.

What did you like best about this story?

Even more so! Will also buy and read others by the same authors.

Have you listened to any of Sean Pratt’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Not only fascinating and inspiring but written and worded in a way that complex explainations were easy to understand.

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

I couldn't fault the narrator - did an outstanding job!

Any additional comments?

Be great if this book of such great value could be done in some form of video - I would probably watch it several times....