Entrepreneurship is messy, uncertain, complex, and risky. It's virtually impossible to devise a recipe for success when developing a new venture. But it need not be. In The Principles of Entrepreneurial Progress, business school professor and entrepreneur Greg Fisher breaks entrepreneurship down into twelve concrete, actionable, easy to understand principles. These principles can be applied across a diverse range of entrepreneurial endeavors, ranging from
high-growth, venture capital funded, technology ventures to self-funded, slower growth, more lifestyle oriented new business enterprises. For each of the principles, Fisher shares intriguing stories and examples
that illustrate the principle, distills research that validates the principle in easy-to-understand terms, and describes how the principle can be implemented in practice. Conveying decades of expertise and practical wisdom, this engaging book provides entrepreneurs with a practical, evidence-based guide for making meaningful progress on their entrepreneurial journey.
Industry Reviews
"There are many books in entrepreneurship, but none like this one! Fisher offers a fresh perspective on how to navigate the entrepreneurial process and does so in an educational and entertaining manner. Make it YOUR principle to study it carefully." --Marc Gruber, co-author of Where to Play: Three Steps to Discovering your Most Valuable Market Opportunities, and Professor for Entrepreneurship & Technology Commercialization at EPFL, Switzerland
"In a landscape inundated with 'how-to' guides for entrepreneurial success, Professor Fisher offers a refreshing perspective rooted in experience and academic rigor. His principles offer clarity amidst the chaos of startup culture, providing a structured framework for entrepreneurs, students, and educators to navigate the ambiguity of startups and explore the realities of the entrepreneurial journey." --Rebecca J. White, author of See Do Repeat: The
Practice of Entrepreneurship, and James W. Walter Distinguished Chair of Entrepreneurship, Sykes College of Business, University of Tampa
"Whether you are thinking of starting your own business, exploring ideas of launching a new enterprise within an existing organization, supporting entrepreneurship development, or teaching entrepreneurship, this is the book you're looking for: The String Theory of Modern Entrepreneurship. If starting a business is like learning to sail, many books cover which vessel to build, how to finance it, how to staff it, and how to pilot it, as well as how to read
navigational charts. But this book will touch on something far more fundamental: it will teach you to understand the currents you'll be sailing in and thus learn to sail using far less resistance--and
therefore energy (human and capital)--than you are used to. It is a game changer." --York Zucchi, Former Goldman Sachs banker, and serial entrepreneur
"Fisher performs a remarkable act: distilling the essence of entrepreneurship into twelve core principles, spanning four critical areas: value, action, resources, and the big picture. Filled with pertinent and actionable insights, this book will ignite your entrepreneurial journey toward success." --Sophie Bacq, Professor of Social Entrepreneurship, IMD
"Using an engaging and straightforward narrative, Fisher uses real-world stories to explain twelve principles--basic ideas and rules--that entrepreneurs can use to propel them throughout their entrepreneurial journey. By including explanations of each principle, suggestions for how to practice and apply them, and worksheets, this book provides practical and useful guidance, no matter where you are in your entrepreneurial career." --Melissa S. Cardon, Haslam
Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Research Director, Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Clark Family Faculty Research Fellow
"Dr. Greg Fisher has created a unique set of twelve core principles of entrepreneurial progress that cleverly lay out a roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs to utilize. Written in an easily digestible form, this book offers a much-needed resource for anyone interested in establishing their own venture amidst the myriad of challenges they will confront." --Donald F. Kuratko, The Jack M. Gill Distinguished Chair of Entrepreneurship & Professor of
Entrepreneurship, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University-Bloomington
"Entrepreneurship is messy. What one starts out to create is rarely what gets created. The entrepreneur actually controls little and must continually learn and adapt as things unfold. In an excellent book, Fisher demonstrates that he gets entrepreneurship and provides a pathway for navigating this tumultuous journey. Using evidence-based principles and practical frameworks, he turns the unmanageable into the manageable." --Michael H. Morris, Professor of
Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation, University of Notre Dame
"Written from Fisher's unique and engaging perspective as a renowned researcher, professor, and former entrepreneur, The Principles of Entrepreneurial Progress is an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs, mentors, and educators. It offers practical insights and actionable strategies for driving entrepreneurial success and growth. Each principle is vividly illustrated, grounded in evidence, and shown to have crucial value for all types of
entrepreneurs." --Chad Navis, Arthur M. Spiro Professor of Entrepreneurial Leadership, Clemson University
"Whether entrepreneurs are working on effectively telling their story, prototyping their initial ideas, or facing some other quandary, Fisher offers a critically important text that explains various principles of how entrepreneurship works and offers frameworks for entrepreneurs to solve their problems systematically. The Principles of Entrepreneurial Progress is the most 'entrepreneurship' text since The Lean Startup!" --Justin W. Webb, Belk
Distinguished Professor of Business Innovation, UNC Charlotte
"There are many books in entrepreneurship, but none like this one! Fisher offers a fresh perspective on how to navigate the entrepreneurial process and does so in an educational and entertaining manner. Make it YOUR principle to study it carefully." -- Marc Gruber, co-author of Where to Play: Three Steps to Discovering your Most Valuable Market Opportunities, and Professor for Entrepreneurship & Technology Commercialization, EPFL, Switzerland
"In a landscape inundated with 'how-to' guides for entrepreneurial success, Professor Fisher offers a refreshing perspective rooted in experience and academic rigor. His principles offer clarity amidst the chaos of startup culture, providing a structured framework for entrepreneurs, students, and educators to navigate the ambiguity of startups and explore the realities of the entrepreneurial journey." -- Rebecca J. White, author of See Do Repeat: The
Practice of Entrepreneurship, and James W. Walter Distinguished Chair of Entrepreneurship, Sykes College of Business, University of Tampa
"Whether you are thinking of starting your own business, exploring ideas of launching a new enterprise within an existing organization, supporting entrepreneurship development, or teaching entrepreneurship, this is the book you're looking for: The String Theory of Modern Entrepreneurship. If starting a business is like learning to sail, many books cover which vessel to build, how to finance it, how to staff it, and how to pilot it, as well as how to read
navigational charts. But this book will touch on something far more fundamental: it will teach you to understand the currents you'll be sailing in and thus learn to sail using far less resistance--and
therefore energy (human and capital)--than you are used to. It is a game changer." -- York Zucchi, Former Goldman Sachs banker, and serial entrepreneur
"Fisher performs a remarkable act: distilling the essence of entrepreneurship into twelve core principles, spanning four critical areas: value, action, resources, and the big picture. Filled with pertinent and actionable insights, this book will ignite your entrepreneurial journey toward success." -- Sophie Bacq, Professor of Social Entrepreneurship, IMD
"Using an engaging and straightforward narrative, Fisher uses real-world stories to explain twelve principles--basic ideas and rules--that entrepreneurs can use to propel them throughout their entrepreneurial journey. By including explanations of each principle, suggestions for how to practice and apply them, and worksheets, this book provides practical and useful guidance, no matter where you are in your entrepreneurial career." -- Melissa S. Cardon, Haslam
Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Research Director, Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Clark Family Faculty Research Fellow
"Dr. Greg Fisher has created a unique set of twelve core principles of entrepreneurial progress that cleverly lay out a roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs to utilize. Written in an easily digestible form, this book offers a much-needed resource for anyone interested in establishing their own venture amidst the myriad of challenges they will confront." -- Donald F. Kuratko, The Jack M. Gill Distinguished Chair of Entrepreneurship & Professor of
Entrepreneurship, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University-Bloomington
"Entrepreneurship is messy. What one starts out to create is rarely what gets created. The entrepreneur actually controls little and must continually learn and adapt as things unfold. In an excellent book, Fisher demonstrates that he gets entrepreneurship and provides a pathway for navigating this tumultuous journey. Using evidence-based principles and practical frameworks, he turns the unmanageable into the manageable." -- Michael H. Morris, Professor of
Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation, University of Notre Dame
"Written from Fisher's unique and engaging perspective as a renowned researcher, professor, and former entrepreneur, The Principles of Entrepreneurial Progress is an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs, mentors, and educators. It offers practical insights and actionable strategies for driving entrepreneurial success and growth. Each principle is vividly illustrated, grounded in evidence, and shown to have crucial value for all types of
entrepreneurs." -- Chad Navis, Arthur M. Spiro Professor of Entrepreneurial Leadership, Clemson University
"Whether entrepreneurs are working on effectively telling their story, prototyping their initial ideas, or facing some other quandary, Fisher offers a critically important text that explains various principles of how entrepreneurship works and offers frameworks for entrepreneurs to solve their problems systematically. The Principles of Entrepreneurial Progress is the most 'entrepreneurship' text since The Lean Startup!" -- Justin W. Webb, Belk
Distinguished Professor of Business Innovation, UNC Charlotte
