Escape from Cubicle Nation added February 21, 2011

It is important to have a good concept of what one hopes to accomplish before taking action. Thoughtless action is dangerous. Though this reality is important in every area, it is particularly relevant in the realm of business. Ventures are frequently highly disruptive to the lives of those who involve themselves in them, and failure to plan could have catastrophic consequences.

Escape from Cubicle Nation is a useful handbook for the process of starting a business, because it covers many of the important challenges associated with starting something new and does so in a well-organized way. Some of the chapter topics include:

• transitioning from a corporate experience
• understanding the change from employee to entrepreneur
• a sampling of options for being self-employed
• how to select a good business idea
• how to recruit a tribe of leaders and mentors
• envisioning a business for creation
• defining a personal brand for differentiation
• how to test ideas and fail quickly before wasting resources
• understanding business finances
• developing and effectively presenting a solid business case
• forming a sound financial plan

Building a business is hard work—harder than being an employee. The process of launching a startup and navigating it through the challenging initial stages requires prudent planning and excellent execution. While a book cannot provide either, it can serve as a useful reference for obtaining direction where inexperience would otherwise prove fatal.

One of the most important aspects of Escape from Cubicle Nation is that it does not shy away from hard realities of starting businesses. Haste and non-discipline cannot produce viable enterprises. For entrepreneurs naturally inclined to focus more on working in their businesss rather than on it, the book lists helpful guidelines for working on the business and relational side of starting a new company or small venture.

While the type of entrepreneurship addressed in the book is not for everyone, the mindfulness, creativity, and initiative required for developing a business should be fostered for every employee.

One of the most useful sections (for me) was the one that dealt with networking. Business may feature a great deal of interaction with digital systems, but they ultimately involve relationships with other people. Customers, partners, and mentors are important human connections, and these relationships must be proactively fostered.

Business books are always popular, particularly in economic downturns. Remember that the fundamental principles of business development tend to remain fairly constant, though technological factors are constantly changing. Your venture is likely to fail because of general business issues than because of sophisticated technological concerns. Business acumen is frequently more important than technological skill, and books like Escape from Cubicle Nation can help readers grow in it.