Leon Presser’s book WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR: A Navigational Guide to Achieve Success is in a category that I’ll call entrepreneurial biography. In this genre the author imparts life lessons and personal learning through the telling of their own memoirs, rather than using research studies to teach best practices.
Presser is a successful businessman who started and exited several businesses. His bulleted lists of life lessons is backed up by many interesting and engaging examples, making this book a quick read.
This book is a great introduction for want-to-be entrepreneurs. My favorite part is his first chapter “Who is an Entrepreneur,” in which Presser provides his own unique take on the personal attributes required to start and successfully run a company. His 17 attributes are
- Necessity to be the master of your destiny
- Strong self-confidence
- Ability to see what others do not see
- Common sense
- Sets high goals
- Not afraid to make decisions
- Will commit
- Does not retreat
- Pride
- Willingness to accept responsibility
- Focus
- Intense dislike of bureaucracy and bureaucrats
- Inspires confidence
- Wisdom and selecting team members
- Leadership
- It is in the blood
- Not motivated by money alone
Inspired perhaps by his experience teaching at several universities, Presser completes the book with a final chapter that includes exercises and self training that readers can use to fully experience the lessons of the book for themselves.
Unlike some entrepreneurial biographies that I have read, this book is generally useful and provides a good introduction to many topics that a new entrepreneur should be aware of when embarking upon the entrepreneurial journey.
