Hi all,
So, I’ve been promising this blog for a few weeks now, apologies for my tardiness! Closing the business, starting 3 new teaching terms and moving house along with the usual life stresses have crushed all but the most crucial productive faculties. However, I’m now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel so, here it is…
For those of you that don’t know about John Mullins or, his book, The New Business Road Test let me give you a quick summary. John is an Associate Professor at LBS who specialises in teaching students how to grow and develop successful entrepreneurial ventures; he’s also a serial entrepreneur in his own right and, a successful author of several books to boot, one of which, The New Business Road Test, is the subject of this review.
Now in its 5th edition The New Business Road Test is marketed as a Handbook to guide people through the process of developing and launching a scalable start-up and, in my opinion, it delivers on this with a consistency and level of execution that I’ve yet to find in other titles. I would happily say that as a solid general primer on all the various mechanics of the start-up development process it’s the best I’ve found so-far.
The book itself is packed with common sense advice, underpinned by theory and practice; all of which is simple to follow, clear and accessible. One of my favourite things about the book (which I am glad to see preserved in this version) is its way of showing people how sometimes complex theories and tools can be practically applied to a range of contexts with the minimum of fuss.
The other element of the book which I think really makes this edition something special are the new case studies, these feel so fresh and relevant; they really speak to the challenges of building entrepreneurial companies in our modern, global economy and, in doing so, they re-enforce the lessons the book communicates with enviable panache.
If you’re interested in starting up new businesses or looking for ideas to teach the topic this is definitely a book for you! 5*’s
*Disclaimer* I was given a free copy of the book to review.
