June 2012
Beginner
166 pages
3h 27m
English
Content preview from The Reluctant Entrepreneur: Turning Dreams into Profits
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O’Reilly covers everything we've got, with content to help us build a world-class technology community, upgrade the capabilities and competencies of our teams, and improve overall team performance as well as their engagement.I wanted to learn C and C++, but it didn't click for me until I picked up an O'Reilly book. When I went on the O’Reilly platform, I was astonished to find all the books there, plus live events and sandboxes so you could play around with the technology.I’ve been on the O’Reilly platform for more than eight years. I use a couple of learning platforms, but I'm on O'Reilly more than anybody else. When you're there, you start learning. I'm never disappointed.I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.
HOW DO YOU FIND A MENTOR?
Look around your industry for successful businesspeople who retired two to five years ago. (During their first two years of retirement, they are still enjoying their extended vacation and haven’t yet realized the tedium of playing golf all day. After five years, they may be a little too out of touch.) Make a list of five such individuals. Then write each one a nice letter telling him that you admire his accomplishments and hope he can give you some business advice.
If he lives nearby, offer to take him to lunch. If not, ask if he has time for a short phone call. Whether in person or over the phone, ask lots of questions. Listen attentively to his answers. With any luck, your personalities will click … and you’ll have someone who will help you now and in the future.
A FEW EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE I’VE PERSONALLY MENTORED
- CF built her specialized physical therapy business from zero to $90,000 in 15 months.
- AS’s nutritional-supplement business—just five years old—is grossing $5 million, netting more than 20 percent.
- JF’s educational program for children is paying him close to $100,000 a year after less than three years.
- WC made $250,000 in less than 18 months—on top of his regular salary—by running a mail-order business on the side.
- PR built his health-product business to more than $20 million in six years (and became a multimillionaire in the process).
- KY’s business pays her a very nice salary—plus she shares $500,000 in profits from a career-counseling program ...
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O’Reilly covers everything we've got, with content to help us build a world-class technology community, upgrade the capabilities and competencies of our teams, and improve overall team performance as well as their engagement.Julian F.
I wanted to learn C and C++, but it didn't click for me until I picked up an O'Reilly book. When I went on the O’Reilly platform, I was astonished to find all the books there, plus live events and sandboxes so you could play around with the technology.Addison B.
I’ve been on the O’Reilly platform for more than eight years. I use a couple of learning platforms, but I'm on O'Reilly more than anybody else. When you're there, you start learning. I'm never disappointed.Amir M.
I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.