A list of books I hate because they make young entrepreneurs think about business the wrong way.

A thread.
Zero to one - Peter Thiel

I don't get it. Entrepreneurs aren't trying to re-invent the wheel. The ones who do fail.

It's about small, incremental progress.
Blue Ocean Strategy - W Chan Kim

It's not about the blue ocean and a monopoly.

Its expensive, risky and you're going to fail. Find a pink ocean where the market exists and you can carve just enough for yourself.
Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson

He's a jerk. What he did won't work for you. You can lead through fear or you can lead by getting folks who work for you to WANT to do the work.

How not to manage 101.
Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell

Why are we studying unicorns?

Don't try to be an outlier.

Do common things uncommonly well and you'll win.
Millionaire fastlane - M J Demarco

He suggests finding a tech biz to invent, making a bunch of money, and then putting it in government bonds to earn just enough to get by through retirement.

A ridiculous way to invest a nest-egg.
Art of War - Sun Tzu

Book idea: be extremely vague like a palm reader and let people use their imagination.
The Secret - Rhonda Byrne

A joke. Accomplishing things takes action, doing, working and making things happen.
Good to Great - Jim Collins

Just what we need! More case studies on massive fortune 500 companies!
Start with Why - Simon Sinek

Let's study folks who founded tech unicorns and make a bunch of early estimates about their passions and what they did best and act like they are heros.
The theme:

These books outline principles that work very well for fortune 500 CEOs and billionaires. If you want to change the world then read these books.

But...
These themes are not applicable to opportunists. Folks who start small.

Folks who put themselves out there with a small biz. Folks who are worried about cashflow and doing common things well.
Forget these books and get out there and learn to sell yourself and your ideas.

Go make $1000. Don't try to change the world.

Build a sustainable business that can help YOU accomplish your goals.
Spend your time studying unicorns and you'll end up working for somebody else.

Spend your time looking for opportunity and you'll make something of yourself.
You can follow @sweatystartup.
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