By Dorie Clark (2017 – Harvard Business Review Press)
Book Review by Joe Casey
In Short
The ranks of silver entrepreneurs and entrepreneur women continue to grow. More and more people who are mid-career or beyond are concluding that moving on from corporate life offers greater flexibility and interesting, rewarding work. Many are deciding that it’s time to become their own boss.
Food for Thought
While the gig economy offers opportunities for Second Act careers and entrepreneurship, it’s quite competitive. You need an edge. Dorie Clark’s new book provides practical tips on how to build your own business and create multiple income streams in today’s economy. To succeed, you’ll need the right online strategies, and Clark walks you through the options. You’ll come away with a clear picture of what you’ll need to focus on, what you’ll need to start learning – or who you’ll need to hire to help you.
Takeaways
What I particularly like about this book is that it presents a variety of options for people to leverage their unique skill set and combine it with what they really enjoy doing. Some of the strategies she recommends can be implemented to begin building a business before taking the plunge full-time. In addition to her experiences, she includes stories from people who have done it successfully, all of whom started small, and shares their lessons learned. While some of the stories from younger folks may not immediately resonate, their expertise, tools, and tactics from the online arena may be exactly what you need.
A Kickstarter
Starting your own business after a corporate career involves risks. While you should consult your financial advisor before doing so, I think that this book offers savvy advice and smart approaches that can give you a leg up on your competition. Best of all it provides inspiration that can kick start your next chapter and gives you a roadmap of where to start.
