cover image Entrepreneurs Are Made Not Born

Entrepreneurs Are Made Not Born

Lloyd Shefsky. McGraw-Hill Companies, $22.95 (210pp) ISBN 978-0-07-057025-2

The premise here is that anyone can learn to be an entrepreneur. Shefsky, founder of a law firm counseling start-up businesses, interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs for this work. Citing dozens of firms, such as Federal Express, Microsoft, McDonald's, Mary Kay Cosmetics and Mrs. Fields Cookies, the author analyzes the psychology and temperament of their innovators and explains such vital factors as financing, a firm business plan, confidentiality, risk acceptance, a distinctive presence, tradition busting and choosing the right partner. Shefsky's often humorous staccato exposition is peppered with anecdotes and later leavened by more deliberate reflections on workaholism, fear of failure, rule breaking and other concepts. This is a book would-be entrepreneurs can profit from. Major ad/promo; Fortune Book Club, Business Week Book Club and Newbridge Executive Program alternates; author tour. (June)