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The $100 Startup cover art

The $100 Startup

Written by: Chris Guillebeau
Narrated by: Chris Guillebeau,Thomas Vincent Kelly
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Publisher's Summary

In The $100 Startup, Chris Guillebeau tells you how to lead of life of adventure, meaning and purpose - and earn a good living.

Still in his early 30s, Chris is on the verge of completing a tour of every country on earth - he's already visited more than 175 nations - and yet he’s never held a "real job" or earned a regular paycheck. Rather, he has a special genius for turning ideas into income, and he uses what he earns both to support his life of adventure and to give back.

There are many others like Chris - those who've found ways to opt out of traditional employment and create the time and income to pursue what they find meaningful. Sometimes, achieving that perfect blend of passion and income doesn't depend on shelving what you currently do. You can start small with your venture, committing little time or money, and wait to take the real plunge when you're sure it's successful.

In preparing to write this book, Chris identified 1,500 individuals who have built businesses earning $50,000 or more from a modest investment (in many cases, $100 or less), and from that group he’s chosen to focus on the 50 most intriguing case studies. In nearly all cases, people with no special skills discovered aspects of their personal passions that could be monetized, and were able to restructure their lives in ways that gave them greater freedom and fulfillment.

Here, finally, distilled into one easy-to-use guide, are the most valuable lessons from those who’ve learned how to turn what they do into a gateway to self-fulfillment. It’s all about finding the intersection between your "expertise" - even if you don’t consider it such - and what other people will pay for. You don’t need an MBA, a business plan or even employees. All you need is a product or service that springs from what you love to do anyway, people willing to pay, and a way to get paid.

Not content to talk in generalities, Chris tells you exactly how many dollars his group of unexpected entrepreneurs required to get their projects up and running; what these individuals did in the first weeks and months to generate significant cash; some of the key mistakes they made along the way, and the crucial insights that made the business stick. Among Chris’s key principles: if you’re good at one thing, you’re probably good at something else; never teach a man to fish - sell him the fish instead; and in the battle between planning and action, action wins.

In ancient times, people who were dissatisfied with their lives dreamed of finding magic lamps, buried treasure, or streets paved with gold. Today, we know that it’s up to us to change our lives. And the best part is, if we change our own life, we can help others change theirs. This remarkable book will start you on your way.

©2012 Chris Guillebeau (P)2012 Random House

What the critics say

"Thoughtful, funny, and compulsively readable, this guide shows how ordinary people can build solid livings, with independence and purpose, on their own terms.” (Gretchen Rubin, author of the number-one New York Times best seller The Happiness Project)
"The $100 Startup is a twofer: It's a kick in the pants to get started on your dream and a road map for finding your way once you begin. If you're not ready to launch your own business after reading this book, you need to go back and read it again!" (Daniel H. Pink, New York Times best-selling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind)
"In this valuable guide Chris Guillebeau shows that transforming an idea into a successful business can be easier than you think…. You are in charge of which ideas deserve your time, and this book can help you wake up every morning eager to progress to the next step." (Tony Hsieh, New York Times best-selling author of Delivering Happiness and CEO of Zappos.com)

What listeners say about The $100 Startup

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Inspire me

After I had read this book 3times, I stated my own $100 start up and now generating a comfortable living

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Awesome

Loved it. Found the book quite inspirational and interesting. Great for anyone trying to develop a side hustle with an eye for transitioning from the 9-5.

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3 people found this helpful

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Good book to read. Poor audiobook.

I personally found it very difficult to listen to. Couldn't even finish. Wouldn't recommend purchasing the audio version.

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1 person found this helpful

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Narrator takes so much away

I found it hard to deal with the narrator, he took so much emotion away from the writing that it was hard to stay engaged. The book was good, but it was like listening to a college professor reading off a sheet of paper

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perfect for even already started businesses

voice was perfect for the topic. not boring, but not hyper and energetic. very professional sounding. book gave me quite a few ideas for my business I already started.

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Good content and easy to understand

I recommend adding this book to your entrepreneur book list. Not one book is perfect , take what you like and figure out how you want to create a business.

Only action and learning from failure will lead you to success.

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5 star

I stared this book before I started my business and I couldn’t really get into it. Once I actually started my business, it really helped me and it really resonated with me. I definitely am going to re-read for anything I missed. Great info!

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Just what I needed to hear!

Perfect inspiration for anyone wanting to launch a business! This book includes dozens of relevant practical tips that you can implement as you read it. I highly recommend.

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Insightful, but struggles on Audible

This is an interesting book directed at small business owners or aspiring small business owners. It’s a step by step, how-to guide for creating a 1 person company. I think that the book was mean to be slowly worked through, and the steps were supposed to be referenced when relevant. As an audiobook, I found it difficult to get the full value from The $100 Startup. I would recommend this book, but in paper version rather than audio.

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Got my Money's Worth.

There is enough good information to make it a worthy read. I picked up a handful of good ideas.

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