The $100 Startup - by Chris Guillebeau (Hardcover)

About the Book

Guillebeau shows readers how to lead a life of adventure, meaning, and purpose while eschewing typical employment. He profiles 50 of the most intriguing case studies of how people turned their personal passions into monetization opportunities.

Book Synopsis

Lead a life of adventure, meaning and purpose--and earn a good living.

"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 #1 New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project

Still in his early thirties, Chris Guillebeau completed a tour of every country on earth 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.

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 focused 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.

Review Quotes

"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 "--Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling 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 bestselling author of Delivering Happiness and CEO of Zappos.com

"The money you have is enough. Chris makes it crystal clear: there are no excuses left. START. Start now, not later. Hurry."--Seth Godin, New York Times bestselling author of The Bootstrapper's Bible

"Everything Chris Guillebeau does is in earnest. The ideas inside this book will lead you to a better place."--Chris Brogan, President of Human Business Works and author of Trust Agents

"With traditional career doors slamming shut, it's easy to panic, but Chris Guillebeau sees opportunities everywhere. Making a career out of your passion sounds like a dream, but in this straight-forward, engaging book he shows you how to get it done, one simple step at a time."--Alan Paul, author of Big in China

"Delivers exactly what a new entrepreneur needs: road-tested, effective and exceptionally pragmatic advice for starting a new business on a shoestring."--Pamela Slim, author of Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur

"Guillebeau has been in the trenches for years, and in The $100 Startup he guides you step-by-step through how he and dozens of others have turned their passions into profits. It's essential reading for the solopreneur!"--Todd Henry, author of The Accidental Creative

"This book is more than a 'how to' guide, it's a 'how they did it' guide that should persuade anyone thinking about starting a business that they don't need a fortune to make one."--John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing and The Referral Engine

"Crammed with data, checklists, models, and concrete examples. 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 #1 New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project

About the Author

CHRIS GUILLEBEAU is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The $100 Startup and The Happiness of Pursuit, and the Wall Street Journal bestseller Born for This. He is creator and host of the annual World Domination Summit, a gathering of cultural creatives that attracts such speakers as Susan Cain, Brené Brown, and Gretchen Rubin. Guillebeau speaks at dozens of events, companies, and universities, including Google, Facebook, SXSW, Evernote, LeWeb, and more. He recently completed a personal quest to visit every country in the world (193/193).