I’m going to keep this review of The Big Idea by Donny Deutsch and Catherine Whitney very short. Unlike this book, I don’t want my post to be a waste of your time.
This book should have Mr. Deutsch pictured as a cheerleader, or at least with pom-pons, as that is the only value of these pages. Chapter after chapter, paragraphs after paragraphs are filled with inspiring stories of the formula: “meet person x, person x had a [problem|tragedy|dream] and started a company with [little|no] money. Now person x is [a millionaire|going to be a millionaire|a dead millionaire].” There is the occasional “took over dad’s company” side dish for variety.
As a motivational book, it’s pretty good. The problem is someone buying a book subtitled “How to Make Your Entrepreneurial Dreams Come True, From the Aha Moment to Your First Million” isn’t looking for motivation. It’s a pretty safe bet someone buying a book like this is already hip to the idea of starting a company and not looking for a cheerleader, but a coach.
There are two positives I gained reading this book, and I read the whole thing, even after half way in I knew it wasn’t going to get better. (Damn you OCD!) First, there is a great collection of links and sources to real information presented as a substitute for useful content. Second, I will now take a close look at any co-authors listed on a “big star’s” book. Not a knock on Mrs. Whitney, I’m sure she made this a much better read than if Donny flew solo, but looking at the titles she has co-authored it’s pretty clear she is a go-to person if you want to crank out a title to cash in on a name (Donny’s CNBC show, The Big Idea, is a pretty good show).
Posted By Mike On Monday, May 04, 2009
Filed under review book |
Comments (2)
Dylan Wolf
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Monday, May 04, 2009
1:47:09 PM
So, basically, the standard motivational speaker formula:
1. Set big goals.
2. ???
3. Proft!
I wouldn't have made it that far. Self-help motivational talk gets under my skin. Life is pain (and realistic planning, and hard work, and luck)--anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
Mike
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Monday, May 04, 2009
2:51:08 PM
Damn it - I missed a perfect time for the "Phase 3 profit" South Park reference! Lol, Dylan you've summed up the book right there.
