Stepping Into Magic: A Handbook for the High Tech Start-Up

by Neal J O'Farrell

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0966243501
• ISBN13: 9780966243505
• Release Date: July 1998
• Publisher: Pylon Books, Inc.
• Length: 362 Pages
• Weight: 1.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 7.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A very good resource for the entrepreneur

This book has been a page-turner; I got thru half of it in one night. There is a lot of repetition in the book, and that is a good thing. The most valuable parts of the book for me are the pitfalls to avoid (such as being too product focused) and the best ways to get funding. My criticism of this book would be the same I had for Michael Baird's book, only more severe: there is little or no discussion on what one needs to do during the phases of entering into a high-tech startup: part-time stage, seeding stage, first round, etc. Baird goes into this a little bit, but most of the topics of "what you need to do" are lumped together and it is confusing what needs to happen during what stage. For instance, both Farrell's book and Baird's book emphasize hiring a top-notch management team, but neither book goes into any concrete details as to when this should be done. During prototype development (seed stage)? During 1st round? Both books mention that Venture Capitalists may get involved in the pre-prototype round, but there are little specifics about what kind of terms there may be. How much ownership do the Venture Capitalists want? I'd like to see a book like this written targeted specifically at what happens during the various stages high-tech startup (hey, there's a startup idea!) But overall, there was a lot of very good information and advice in this book.

Excelent quick-draw reference for the startup want ta be's

The structure provides information and advice that is grounded on the personal experiences of the author as well as the experiences of well known CEOs and technical gurus such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, John Chambers, and Jerry Yang & David Filo (of Yahoo!) to name a few. I enjoyed the ease of reading provided by the intermingling of humor, the inserted examples of successful startups, and the commentary provided by the who's who of the industry (Software & Hardware) demonstrating that the information had successfully been implemented. The background research, references, resources, and process structure provides a framework that allows the startup business to develop a "checklist" of questions and requirements that need to be addressed. Avoiding many of the assumptions that contribute to the littering of failed startups one finds on the way to success. The Venture Capitalist (VC) chapter provides insight into what the VC is looking for, their attitude, and what they expect out of the deal. The Startup can prepare the RIGHT information that will launch their -"blow the socks off the competition with the most technologically advanced whiz-bang product to hit the market" - company. A new Technology Startup company need's an attitude to keep things moving and a road map to get them where they want to go; "Stepping into Magic" provides the tools, the resources, and the success stories to keep you on track. Where does "Stepping into Magic" belong? In your upper right-hand drawer in the quick draw position. END

The most useful "How to" entrepreneurial handbook I've read.

As a startup CEO, I can only say I wish I'd happened on this book sooner than I did. It lays out whether or not you should even start, what it takes to launch your venture and the pitfalls that can trip up the unwary entrepreneur. It walks you through your business plan, funding from both angel and venture financing, patents, sales and marketing and setting up the deal if you are seeking funding. It is written simply and directly and Mr. O'Farrell includes his own mistakes so that others can learn from them. After purchasing the book, I emailed Mr. O'Farrell about questions I had and he has been selfless with his time and suggestions. If you are an entrepreneur or better yet, thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, BUY THIS BOOK! It pays for itself time and again.