Last week, I sent a forlorn email to Chris…

‘Chris, my review copy* of The $100 Startup hasn’t arrived, and I’m dying to read it! Could the publishers perhaps send another?’

I was hoping it was just because I was in Australia, and was the victim of cross-Pacific shipping delay, but was concerned that my book had gone awry. And I was really, really keen to read it after seeing reviews and chatter about it popping up all over the interwebs.

In typical Chris style, he got back to me within, like, 10 minutes with a ‘sure thing!’.

Wouldn’t you know it – later on that morning I went to the post office, only to find the book had finally arrived. Seems I had been a victim of the Australian Customs Service and Murphy’s Law, instead. Happily, I got back to him before he got a second copy sent out, and I set about digging in to Chris’s lastest gem.

I knew it would be tasty, but I had no idea just how meaty The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau would prove to be.

You’ve got 2 options – a 2 1/2 minute vid review and/or the written review below!

Before I read it, I didn’t actually realise how much of a ‘how-to’ manual this was – so I was pretty damn excited when I realised all the juiciness that was to be found between the covers. {Wow, how’s that for a mixed metaphor, hmm?}

The book is divided into 3 parts:

• Unexpected Entrepreneurs

• Taking it to the Streets

• Leverage and Next Steps

The first part of the book is very much for those who are thinking about starting a new, passion-based biz OR – as in my case – a reminder for those of us who are considering a new project that will integrate with a currently existing business (yes, I have something rather exciting in the works, peeps!).

I loved the stories in the first chapter – Renaissance – because they resonated so strongly with my own journey! I, too, am an ‘accidental entrepreneur’ – I never actually set out to make what I do my full-time gig. In the beginning, it was just a hobby, but life and circumstance combined to give me the opportunity to make it happen. Thankfully, like those profiled in the book, I have never looked back, or been happier with the work I do.

For me, this first section just reinforced a number of ideas that I’ve spoken of before – the main one being that just because something is your passion doesn’t mean you should turn it into a business. Or, more to the point – you need to find a convergence between what you love doing and what people will actually buy – something I’ve spoken about before. This is a BIG one for those in the handmade industry.

For those of you just starting out, this section will be an invaluable tool in helping you get your head straight about what sort of business and products you should create, and how you can craft a business around your dream lifestyle, rather than the other way round.

The second section was the ‘meatiest’ part of the sandwich, with densely packed info and advice on how to actually craft and sell a product people will want to buy.

I found this section the most immediately useful part of the book, as I’ve got a few new products and collections planned for the second half of 2012. The information on crafting an offer, launching, and even hustling were invaluable to me. It really helped me to clarify a few decisions I’d been wavering on for a while now – and we all know how draining a non-decision can be.

Like all good books/blog posts/ecourses, I didn’t exactly learn anything NEW or anything I couldn’t have figured out for myself after a lot of try-and-fail type scenarios… however, I was gifted strategies and plans on a creamy white platter that would have taken me untold time and struggle to figure out/put together on my own.

The third part of the book was future-focussed – you’ve got a business, you’re doing well… but where do you go from here? How much do you want to grow, and what business model do you want to create? Do you want to keep going-it-alone or bring others on-board? What if it all turns to crap and I fail?

Yeah, we’ve ALL had those thoughts. Chris gives us answers to all of these questions and more – and he is especially good at assuaging our fears of failure. In fact, sometimes, failure can be the best thing that ever happens to us – a hard lesson to understand if we’ve yet to fail big-time and come out the other side more determined than before.

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This is not the sort of book you read once and then put on the shelf.

I can see myself coming back to this again and again throughout the years to come, in order to remind myself of things that will help my business grow authentically.

If nothing else, definitely make sure you head over to 100Startup.com and download the AWESOME free resources that Chris has put up there. I’ll be sticking a number of them on my wall to make sure my upcoming products are created with YOU in mind, and to get them launched out into the world in style.

***

{*Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this book to review, thanks to Chris and Crown Publishing. Thank you, guys!!}

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