The Art of the Start

The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything

By: Guy Kawasaki

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer

Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

What does it take to turn ideas into action? What are the elements of a perfect pitch? How do you win the war for talent? How do you establish a brand without bucks? These are some of the issues everyone faces when starting or revitalizing any undertaking, and Guy Kawasaki, former marketing maven of Apple Computer, provides the answers.

The Art of the Start will give you the essential steps to launch great products, services, and companies - whether you are dreaming of starting the next Microsoft or a not-for-profit that's going to change the world. It also shows managers how to unleash entrepreneurial thinking at established companies, helping them foster the pluck and creativity that their businesses need to stay ahead of the pack.

Kawasaki provides readers with GIST - Great Ideas for Starting Things - including his field-tested insider's techniques for bootstrapping, branding, networking, recruiting, pitching, rainmaking, and, most important in this fickle consumer climate, building buzz.

At Apple, Kawasaki helped turn ordinary customers into fanatics. As founder and CEO of Garage Technology Ventures, he has tested his iconoclastic ideas on real-world start-ups. And as an irrepressible columnist for Forbes, he has honed his best thinking about The Art of the Start.

©2008 Guy Kawasaki (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Kawasaki covers the basics in an effectively casual tone." ( Publishers Weekly)
"His newest work addresses entrepreneurs who want to grow beyond being a company of one as well as innovators who work for large companies." ( Library Journal)

doesn't inspire confidence

I still don't understand why I should care who you are or want to be anything like you. I hear you on net@night and you sounded fairly interesting and then I get fooled into listening to this thing? telling me to give away free t-shirts and keep my power point presentations short? What world do you live in where any of this is of any relevance. Most of the advice is "don't rely on your human instints rely instead on a list of my ideals".

it's telling that the next book I had a urge to listen to was Machiavelli's The Prince. There is a world view I can relate to. the 21st century truly is a terrible place if I need to more like Guy Kawasaki to be successful. I imagine he is a very short man.

Excellent start-up business advice - bad narration

Excellent start-up advice. Applicable and relevant in 2016.

Poor narration. Too much attitude in the tone of the narrator. May have been going for humor in the delivery but interfered with the information delivered.

Broad Brush Stroke

While it was a decent listen and I don't regret the time spent (albeit I listen during my commute), it wasn't something I gained a lot out of. The book is written much like a horoscope; keep the concept wide, provide few specifics and everyone can find a way to say, "yeah, that makes sense." Kawasaki does a decent job of discussing start-ups and how to get the ball rolling, but I would argue that he could have achieved much more if he would have targeted a niche audience and written from that perspective. He opted to increase sales rather than reach a target...

I wish Guy Kawasaki narrated this book

The book is full of good startup/entrepreneurial advice, but it loses some of its impact without Kawasaki's presentation style. The narrator is OK, but not nearly dynamic enough for the topic. There are several of Kawasaki's presentations on YouTube so if you haven't heard him talk, check out the videos before you buy this book. If you like the videos, the book is just more of that. If you don't like the videos, you won't like the book.

great book

great book shows alot of things people may know they do but not know what it means

Good book but I didn't like the narrator.

Narrator felt like a robot. Overall the book was good but maybe a little bit too long.

I love Guy, I wish he would narrate

Any additional comments?

I can't get through this because of the narrator. The content is great, I am going to buy the book and read it.

Good book but TERRIBLE narration

definitly the worst narration I've ever listened to on Audible. the content is good, we had to read this for class.

Love it!

I'm a couple of months into starting up a slightly disruptive publishing company called TimeStarvd. This book, along with Kawasaki's previous works, helped me to take the leap!

Not exactly meant for MBA's

I wish all business book/textbook writers could learn a thing or two from Guy. He's original, practical and effective. Buy the book, buy the audiobook and go on his website (garage.com) and watch his presentation.