CONTENTS
PART I Entrepreneurial Passion: A Double-Edged Sword
Chapter 1: True Believers: Why Founders Fall in Love with Their Ideas
The Sparks of Entrepreneurial Ambition
Fanning the Flames of Commitment
If You Build It, Will They Come?
Chapter 2: The Passion Trap: How Attachment to Your Idea Can Sabotage Your Startup
The Damage Done: Six Negative Impacts of Entrepreneurial Passion
The Core Pattern: How the Passion Trap Works
Icarus Qualities: Who Is Most Vulnerable to the Passion Trap?
Early Warning Signs: Are You in Danger of Being Trapped?
Moving Forward: Six Principles for Making the Most of Entrepreneurial Passion
PART II Your Foundation: Six Principles for Launching a Can’t-Miss Startup
Chapter 3: Founder Readiness: How to Prepare for the Entrepreneurial Journey
The Fundamentals of Founder Readiness
Purifying Your Entrepreneurial Passion
Chapter 4: The Pull of the Market: Attach to Your Customer, Not to Your Idea
Developing a Strong Market Orientation
Antidote to the Passion Trap: Give Your Idea a Market Scrub
Chapter 5: Your Math Story: Charting a Path to Breakeven and Beyond
Constructing a Compelling Math Story
Chapter 6: Startup Agility: Executing with Focused Flexibility
The Paradox of Strong Execution
The New Venture Learning Curve
Chapter 7: Integrity of Communication: Your Secret Startup Weapon
No One Is Immune to Reality Distortion
Integrity of Communication: The Basics
Four Personal Tools for Bursting the Feel-Good Bubble
Chapter 8: Staying Power: Give Your Venture Time to Take Flight
Venture-Level Strategies: Strengthening and Lengthening Your Runway
Founder-Level Strategies: Performing and Persevering over Time
Appendix A: Startup Readiness Tool