Main Street Entrepreneur: Build Your Dream Company Doing What You Love Where You Live Hardcover – Illustrated, 26 May 2016

It sounds so easy and enticing: build your dream company doing what you love, where you live! That is the central promise of this book, yet surprisingly and against this reader’s initial fear, it is a lot, lot more than a typical “start your own business”-type book. Instead the author has taken a fascinating, possibly obsessive look, at what has made many small-town American businesses tick.All in all, the author visited over 100 entrepreneurs in 100 different cities – on two wheels - cycling over 4005 miles in 45 days and sitting on the saddle for 246 hours in total! The end result is a fascinating read that promises to lift the lid on some of the secrets of entrepreneurial success.There are nine specific keys for success, claims the author, that would negate the need for a massive business plan, venture capital or being in deep hock to the bank. Clearly setting up the next Facebook or Google is not guaranteed, yet there is nothing wrong with creating a fairly solid-performing small company and maybe, just maybe, that could lead to bigger, greater and more powerful things.The style and approach of this book grew on the reader. It was a pleasing different approach and could one say that the author “suffered” for the reader? The author noted that many of those interviewed fly under the radar of the media and thus their story is often unknown outside of their immediate locality; thus reading their stories felt a particularly interesting, exclusive privilege.Sure, there were a few niggles, such as the personalisation of the text at times and some of the comments or observations, yet they pail into insignificance compared to the real meat on the bone, the stories of these smaller companies who are making their mark in often unexpected areas.A different, worthy read – even if you are not necessarily thinking about starting up your own business. If you are considering a new venture, this could be a great bit of “secret intel” to give you some additional advice.