>>Is the Author a successful Entrepreneur?
>
>Apparently. She developed SEED as a network aimed at
>training and empowering new and established business folks
>(http://www.seedfusion.com/) and founded Globalfusion, an
>international communications consultancy.

But how is Globalfusion doing and more importantly, how is the network doing?

Sometimes someone starts one business, is successful at it, but is unable to teach anyone else how to do the same, E.g. They got lucky and don't really possess the knowledge to teach others to achieve similar succcess.

Some successful enterpreneurs are able to use their knowledge to help others, others aren't.



>The book takes a interesting look at how to do business,
>whether for profit or nonprofit. Sure, there is a feminist
>lean but I think that's because it supposed to encourage
>people who might lack the confidence or courage to launch
>their own businesses. It's about balancing personal and
>professional goals.

It sounds like more of a motivational book than a book about business.

>There's another book I like called "Manifest Your Destiny"
>or "How to Be, Do or Have Anything" and it covers some of
>the same territory as SEED. I also recommend "The Adversity
>Quotient."

Again -- more motivation.

For me, I don't feel I need to be more motivated or need a book about shooting for goals.

I need hard-core business info, sales, marketing, managing funds, seeking investors, VC, etc.

>>Ethics & Morality are important, but focusing on teaching
>>people how to plan a business that respects both will not
>>teach them how to make money.
>
>Launching a business and sustaining it are different things.
> When change occurs you have to know how to move forward and
>not take for granted that every seemingly lucrative project
>is worth the time, effort and $$$. There's the short-term
>and long-term visioning and goals to weigh.

But that sounds too philosphical -- I would say that one should do an analysis (e.g. its spreadsheet time) and determine how much time & money is required for this project, evaluate your window of opportunity with regards to how long you have before you lose an edge by waiting too long and than evaluate how it would affect your current business.

I would than provide a concrete example of how to do said analysis and make the decision -- to me, that's a better way of teaching someone to make that decision.

>If we look at bigger for profits, let's say Apple, they
>created a "psuedo-religion" and niche market that emphasized
>certain values, expectations and innovation. Right now,
>Apple is trying to become more-PC company minded in order to
>make a bigger profit, at the risk of alienating their niche
>market. It's not working and after some recent success,
>Apple is seeing increasing deficits. Many hard core Mac
>enthusiasts who were willing to pay more for Apple products
>are considering going PC for less money. In this case,
>ethics are important.

More complicated than that.........ethics aren't even in play, alienating one's niche market has nothing to do ethics, its about business survival.

Side Example - Caddilac used to be top selling luxury make in the US, now its number 4 or 5 - part of the reason is that they refused to make more modern looking (and performing cars) out of fear of alienating their core market.

Ditto for Oldsmobile who sold nearly 1 million cars in 1989 and is now being phased out - (sales are in the low 200k/year range) - this despite making some good cars in the last couple of years -- it was too late for them to change it around.

As for Apple, they made one of the biggest business blunders in history by keeping the hardware and the OS in house, instead of just keeping the latter in house -- if they had, Bill Gates would be moving lawns for a living.

Furthermore, Apple has been losing money for years -- even before they tried to snag some PC owners, that's why they tried to make the change.

Fact remains, they're nearing the limit of what their current hardware can sustain, Microsoft is gaining ground on them with regards Multimedia applications and the massive gaming market has passed them by.

Ethics and changing market has nothing to do with why Apple is losing money.

The only way they can survive long term, is to combine the best of what they have, with why people predominantly use PCs and do it a better price.

Until that happens, they will lose money like they always do.






>The same goes for non-profits taking on business models out
>of necessity. Also, some partnerships and services may
>alienate stakeholders and send the community a message that
>the organization has moved away from its mission. They may
>stop putting time and even money into the organization,
>including local funders.
>
>In order to survive adversity, there is a certain amount of
>ethical judgment, as well as staying true to the mission or
>vision that needs to happen to ensure the business stays
>afloat to make $$$ in the future.

Alienating a group of customers is not an ethics issue -- surviving adversity requires planning and analysis that I don't think the book is addressing.


-M2