Chapter 20. Going Out on Your Own: The “Software Startup”

“I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the nonsuccessful ones is pure perseverance.”

—Steve Jobs

Starting your own company is probably the shortest path to making it big, running your own show, and making heaps of money—if you can do it successfully. According to a study titled “2008 Compensation and Entrepreneurship Report in IT,” published by CompStudy.com, 31% of all CEOs and CTOs were founders of their companies. The study covered 342 respondents and 1,600 executives. That result also matches fairly closely the cross-section of people interviewed for this book and the organizations they represent. In fact, of all the impressive people whose ...

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