Randy Komisar

What would you be willing to do for the rest of your life? It's a question most of us consider only hypothetically, opting instead to "do what we have to do" to earn a living. But in the critically acclaimed bestseller The Monk and the Riddle, entrepreneurial sage Randy Komisar asks us to answer it for real. The book's timeless advice - to make work pay not just in cash, but in experience, satisfaction, and joy - will be embraced by anyone who wants success to come, not just from what they do, but from who they are. At once a fictional tale of Komisar's encounters with a would-be entrepreneur, and a personal account of how Komisar found meaning not in work's rewards but in work itself, the book illustrates what's wrong with the mainstream thinking that we should sacrifice our lives to make a living. Described by Fortune.com as "part personal essay, part fictional narrative, and part meditation on the nature of work and life," The Monk and the Riddle is essential reading on the art of creating a life while making a living.

Straight Talk for Startups memorializes age-old best practices and empowers both experienced and new investment professionals to beat the odds.--David Krane, CEO, Google Ventures Straight Talk for Startups is filled with real, raw, and fact-based 'rules of the road' that you need to know when diving into our ultra-competitive startup world. A must read and a re-read!--Tony Fadell, Coinventor of the iPod/iPhone & Founder of Nest Labs Veteran venture capitalist Randy Komisar and finance executive Jantoon Reigersman share no-nonsense, counterintuitive guidelines to help anyone build a successful startup. Over the course of their careers, Randy Komisar and Jantoon Reigersman continue to see startups crash and burn because they forget the timeless lessons of entrepreneurship. But, as Komisar and Reigersman show, you can beat the odds if you quickly learn what insiders know about what it takes to build a healthy foundation for a thriving venture. In Straight Talk for Startups they walk budding entrepreneurs through 100 essential rules--from pitching your idea to selecting investors to managing your board to deciding how and when to achieve liquidity. Culled from their own decades of experience, as well as the experiences of their many successful colleagues and friends, the rules are organized under broad topics, from Mastering the Fundamentals and Selecting the Right Investors, to The Ideal Fundraise, Building and Managing Effective Boards, and Achieving Liquidity. Vital rules you'll find in Straight Talk for Startups The best ideas originate from founders who are usersCreate two business an execution plan and an aspirational planNet income is an option, but cash flow is a factDon't accept money from strangersPersonal wealth doesn't equal good investingSmall boards are better than big onesAdd independent board members for expertise and objectivityToo many unanimous board decisions are a sign of troubleChoose an acquirer, don't wait to be chosenLearn the rules by heart so you know when to break them Filled with helpful real-life examples and specific, actionable advice, Straight Talk for Startups is the ideal handbook for anyone running, working for, or thinking about creating a startup, or just curious about what makes high-potential ventures tick.

This work offers a summary of the book “GETTING TO PLAN Breaking Through to a Better Business Model” by John Mullins and Randy Komisar. Lots of companies start with one business plan in mind (their Plan A) but end up being successful doing something entirely different (applying a Plan B or a Plan C). With this in mind, don’t wait until you’re almost broke to get around to developing your Plan B. According to John Mullins and Randy Komisar, you need to speed up the process of discovery. In fact, even before you put pen to paper to write your business plan, stress test the five key components of your proposed business model and get them right first. Then you can write a business plan that works (a Plan B style plan) rather than something which looks promising but has no basis in reality (a Plan A).“We’d like to see your venture turn out to be one of the standouts, one that promises – with evidence and, ultimately, performance, to back up your promises – the kind of economic and social returns that entrepreneurs are so capable of delivering worldwide. Let’s get on with our journey.”Filled with real-life examples and useful tips, Getting to Plan B is the guide you need if you are willing to build a successful business.