Escape from Cubicle Nation

From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur

By: Pamela Slim

Narrated by: Sandra Burr

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Millions of people hate their jobs, or have recently lost one, and would love to start a small business. Yet very few actually try, because the process feels as scary as jumping off a cliff. No matter how boring or stressful a job might be, it's hard to give up a salary and benefits. But for some, it can be the smartest, happiest decision of a lifetime.

Pamela Slim, a former corporate training manager, went solo 12 years ago and has enjoyed every bit of it. In 2005 she started a blog called Escape from Cubicle Nation to help others make the same jump; it quickly attracted a loyal following and national media attention. Slim explores both the big emotional issues of leaving the corporate world and the nuts and bolts of launching a business. She explains the amazing new opportunities to use social networks, Web marketing, and "lifehacking" technology to quickly become profitable, while still having time for family and other pursuits. Drawing on anecdotes from her own career, as well as true stories from her coaching clients and blog readers, Slim will help readers weigh their options, and make a successful escape if they decide to go for it.

©2009 Pamela Slim (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Decent book, boring narrator

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

No. It's primarily the 4 hour workweek recycled. Much of the content is already on the author's blog. Best for complete business noobs to read this.

What was most disappointing about Pamela Slim’s story?

The narration.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator sounds like a robot voice on a space station. Female HAL-9000. This lady needs caffeine pronto

Was Escape from Cubicle Nation worth the listening time?

Nope. Mainly a Tim Ferriss ripoff

Any additional comments?

Yes, the narrator should be listed as "Siri"

Awesome! better than many internet courses

After wasting lots of money on internet courses to help in entrepreneurship, This book crushes many of them. Pam does not water it down, she gets into the nuts and bolts. Fears, testing, planning, figuring out target markets, financial considerations, etc. I totally recommended for anyone who want to see if entrepreneurship is good for them. She references lots of valuable resources to get more detail on getting started. #EscapeTheOffice #Inspiring #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

Blog posts turned into book

I read this book since it was included on the Personal MBA reading list. There is not much depth to the book and seems to be a collection of blog posts from the author out together in book form. This book has some important points that need to be considered when starting a business that may be overlooked, but the book does not inform someone on how it actually go about doing anything. It is mostly a brief overview of different topics, not much depth. I would not recommend this book since other books exist that provide more value in the same or less amount of time it takes to read it

Well below expectation!

Would you try another book from Pamela Slim and/or Sandra Burr?

This book was center in the experience from a woman whom appeared to have little experience. The one comment that will always stick with me is when she informs her readers that the most important thing to starting a business is not sales, but creating a brand. What an ignorant idea as well as a quick way to get in debt. I was extremely unimpressed with this book, overall, as it appears to be the dreams or ambitions of Pamela Slim—which lacks the experience required to make it happen. A person’s time would be much better spent by reading a book like Ready, Fire, Aim by Michael Masterson or The Lean Startup by Eric Ries. Steer clear of this book as it provides little, if any, insight into how one should go about creating or administering a business.

Would you ever listen to anything by Pamela Slim again?

No

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator perform her job well, it was the message and content that was lacking.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Escape from Cubicle Nation?

Most of the book as it serves little purpose.

Over the Top and Irrational

If you are miserable in your job and want confirmation to be miserable, then read this book. Or better yet, get a new job. At any rate, I could not make it past the first several chapters in which the author analogizes corporate employees to animals in cages, posits that cubicles cause brain damage and refers to our "lizard DNA" multiple times. Also, the authenticity of the author's accounts of her experience in "corporate America" seemed very questionable to me. I would not download this book as a source of career advise or direction.