LESSONS LEARNED FROM LEADING ENTREPRENEURS provides the reader with an opportunity to learn from some of the most successful entrepreneurs of our generation. The book provides a benchmark for readers through a step-by-step process based on famous entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Apple, Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google, and Wayne Huizenga, the only person to found three Fortune 500 companies: Waste Management, Inc., Blockbuster, and AutoNation. All the entrepreneurs read their cases and gave feedback, excluding Jobs. The Buffett case has received world-wide recognition as even Buffett himself acknowledged the value by inviting the author to visit him three times to Omaha. This book provides valuable lessons ranging from Buffett's keys to success (investment methodology and wealth building strategies), creating, growing, and managing a business, integrating successful corporate entrepreneurship, international entrepreneurship, acquiring a franchise, acquiring a small business, strategies to raise capital for your venture, and succession issues within family businesses.
About the Author: Dr. Todd A. Finkle is a pioneer and innovator in the field of entrepreneurship education. He is currently the Pigott Professor of Entrepreneurship at Gonzaga University where he is an entrepreneur, author, consultant, and speaker. Todd is also the founder and CEO of The Startup Professor, a consulting firm that works with a wide variety of entities including: countries and universities from all over the world, Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, startups, franchises, family businesses, and non-profits. Todd has been an entrepreneur of five companies (Investment, entertainment, consulting, technology, and publishing). He has taught for 28 years at 4 different universities where he has published and/or presented 240 books, articles, presentations, and grants on a wide variety of topics on entrepreneurship. His research has focused on entrepreneurship, technology entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurial finance (valuation, financing startups, structuring deals), entrepreneurship education, corporate entrepreneurship, international entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship centers, family business, franchising, and MOOCs. Dr. Finkle has published a book entitled, "Lessons Learned from Leading Entrepreneurs: Case Studies in Business and Entrepreneurship" that contains in-depth case studies on several famous entrepreneurs including Steve Jobs (Apple), Sergey Brin and Larry Page (Google), Warren E. Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway), Wayne Huizenga (Waste Management, Inc., Blockbuster Entertainment, and Republic Industries). The book also has actual business world cases on a variety of topics including: buying a franchise and small business chain, expanding a small business internationally, succession in a family business, and issues when expanding international. He has also written case studies on Richard Branson (Virgin), Larry Ellison (Oracle), and Andrew Mason (Groupon). Dr. Finkle created of a relationship with Warren E. Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Buffett read Dr. Finkle's case study on Warren E. Buffett and personally invited Dr. Finkle three times to visit him for a day in Omaha. Finkle has also brought six different groups of students to visit and learn valuable lesson on business, life, and happiness from Warren E. Buffett.