Archive for March, 2011

Angel Investing: Matching Startup Funds with Startup Companies — A Guide for Entrepreneurs, Individual Investors, and Venture Capitalists

Angel Investing: Matching Startup Funds with Startup Companies — A Guide for Entrepreneurs, Individual Investors, and Venture Capitalists They deliver more capital to entrepreneurs than any other source. And they often receive an incredible return on their investments. They’re angel investors, some of the most important–and least understood–players in business today. The United States has close to three million angels, whose investments in startups exceed $60 billion per year. Some of our most successful companies were funded by angels–companies like Ford, AOL, and Amazon.com. But until now, little has been written about these angels, due in part to their preference for anonymity. Angel Investors provides an inside look at who these angels are and how they operate. It also shows would-be angels and entrepreneurs how best to find each other.

To learn more about this book, visit its website.
Customer Review: more than a Guide
I am the Founder & CEO of a business that within the next 8 to 12 months was seeking to raise between $2M and $5M to fund our expansion. I always thought of going straight to Venture Capital firms or Private Equity divisons of Invmt Banks that I have already been in touch with. This book, Angel Investing, was a truly priceless read to me. The education delivered by authors has helped me re-strategize my approach to inviting external investors and also the amount that I should try to raise and the schedule of funds. What I thought was most helpful was the detailed comparisons between Angel Investors and Venture Capitalist, as well as understanding the psychology behind their thinking and how an entrepreneur seeking outside funds should try to prepare every aspect of their presentation (themselves, their product and overall business plan). The book has given me tools to have most questions covered and more importantly has prepared me to become an angel myself in the years ahead.
Customer Review: Great book
This book starts off slowly but when it gets rolling it is very helpful ,giving good infromation where and when you need it.

Who Do You Think You Are?: A Memoir

Who Do You Think You Are?: A Memoir After her mother’s death, Alyse Myers covets only one thing: a wooden box that sits in the back of a closet. Its contents have been kept from her for her entire life. When she was thirteen years old her mother promised she could have the box, “when I’m dead. In fact, it’ll be my present to you.”

Growing up in Queens in the 1960s and ’70s, Alyse always yearned for more in life, while her mother settled for an unhappy marriage, an unsatisfying job, and ultimately a joyless existence. Her father drifts in and out of their home. There are harrowing fights, abject cruelty, and endless uncertainty. Throughout her childhood Alyse adamantly rejects everything about her mother’s lifestyle, leaving her mother to ask “Who do you think you are?”

A personal portrait of a mother and daughter, Who Do You Think You Are? explores the profound and poignant revelations that so often can come to light only after a parent has died. Balancing childhood memories with adult observations, Alyse Myers creates a riveting and deeply moving narrative.
Customer Review: Couldn’t put it down
This book drew me in from the start, and a combination of the writing and the story kept me hooked. People might wonder why someone with a mother who was so frequently awful to them would want to stay connected to that parent. But as is made clear in this book — it’s still your mom. And it’s human nature to want it to turn out o.k. Myers doesn’t try to find excuses for her mother or psychoanalyze her. There’s an acceptance here; not approval of her behavior, and not wishing it wasn’t different. But a realization that her mother was a very flawed human being — and she still wanted a relationship with her. It was a great read.
Customer Review: Read This Book!
This is a truly inspiring book. Not only is the writing flawless and captivating, but Myers tells a story that is real and original. She connects the story of her past to her current life in a manner that reminds us all how we come to be the people we are. This book will force you to examine the relationships in your life and what they mean to you, and in the process is a wonderful read. I could not put it down, and even woke up in the middle of the night just to read what was going to happen next. I am looking forward to reading it again and discovering new things about life, love, and myself. I hope to read another book by Alyse Myers in the near future.

Digital Stock Photography: How to Shoot and Sell

Digital Stock Photography: How to Shoot and Sell

Digital Stock Photography equips photographers with everything they need to know to create digital stock photos that sell in today’s marketplace. From organizing a shoot to raking in the profits as the pictures sell and sell and sell again, all the steps are here: Capturing digital images, working with scans, digital delivery of images, evaluating equipment, organizing digital files, building an archive, and more. Thirty assignments, designed to reflect the latest trends in photography, provide readers with a blueprint for building a stock collection. Special sections explain how to market, negotiate and quote prices, and manage a business, plus obtaining model releases and protecting copyright.

Customer Review: Not so fast
This book was very informative and well written, but lets you know right off that getting started in stock photography will not be easy, and probably quite expensive. The equipment requirements may prove to be prohibitive for those on a tight budget. Nothing worthwhile in life is easy, and stock photography is no exception.
Customer Review: An invaluable reference.
Michal Heron has been a successful freelance photographer for over thirty years, not only selling her products to photo agencies but running her own stock business and giving lectures at seminars and workshops around the country. Her DIGITAL STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY packs in the basics of capturing digital images, from working with scans and delivering acceptable product to evaluating equipment, creating releases, handling copyright options and much more. No aspiring professional photographer should be without it: it’s an essential key to understanding the routines and demands of the stock photo business, and photography as well as general-interest lending libraries catering to photographers will find it an invaluable reference.

The Entrepreneurial Investor: The Art, Science, and Business of Value Investing

The Entrepreneurial Investor: The Art, Science, and Business of Value Investing The Entrepreneurial Investor will inspire you to treat investing like a business and to think of yourself as an owner. Through solid examples and a light narrative, Paul Orfalea skillfully explores the essence of the entrepreneurial investor, which includes balancing the art and science of this discipline, and viewing investing itself as a business. Along the way, he also examines how the elements of focus, opportunism, and involvement can improve your overall investment results.
Customer Review: Paul Orfalea is cool
I haven’t read the book yet, but I’ve heard Paul Orfalea speak in person. He is very genial and to the point. Super nice guy. I’m sure the book will be great.
Customer Review: Excellent Reference
The Entrepreneurial Investor gives concise information in a small format. It gets to the point without hesitation. It is not an all out how-to. It gives guidance on reading annual reports and financial statements. Additional reading definitely includes something about interpreting financial statements. Getting Started in Value Investing appears to be a good companion to this book and does give recommendations on how to further your understanding of these important company documents. A couple examples are “Understanding Corporate Annual Reports” and “Annual Reports 101.” I found “Financial Statements for Non-Financial People” a great intro to analyzing a balance sheet, income statement and cash flows statement. It gives easy to follow formulas to calculating many of the important ratios you need to know.