Smart Startups: What Every Entrepreneur Needs by Catalina Daniels & James H. Sherman - Non Fiction - Hardback

Details
Condition: New
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9780063316317
Publisher: Harper Business
Age Range: Adult / Business Readers

Overview
Smart Startups: What Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know is a candid, field-tested guide to building a company that lasts. Written by two Harvard Business School classmates turned founders and angel investors, it goes beyond classroom theory to show what actually happens inside eighteen startups launched by fellow HBS graduates. Packed with honest case studies, hard-won lessons, and unexpected pitfalls, this hardback is essential reading for anyone serious about turning an idea into a viable, scalable business.

About the Book
Catalina Daniels and James H. Sherman met as classmates at Harvard Business School, where they studied the fundamentals of entrepreneurship together. Years later, after each had founded and exited multiple companies and become active angel investors, they discovered that their real-world experiences often diverged sharply from the conventional wisdom taught in business school. Smart Startups was born from that gap. Rather than relying on abstract frameworks, the authors went inside eighteen companies founded by their fellow HBS graduates, interviewing founders about what genuinely worked, what failed, and why. The result is a startup playbook grounded in evidence rather than assumption, covering the full arc of building a company: validating an idea, securing early funding, building and motivating a team, navigating investor relationships, and scaling operations without losing sight of the original vision. Chapters are structured around specific challenges founders face at each stage, with direct quotes and case studies illustrating both successes and cautionary tales. The tone is direct and unsentimental, treating readers as capable adults who want substance over slogans. For MBA students, first-time founders, or anyone advising early-stage businesses, it offers a rare combination of academic rigour and street-level candour.

• Real founder case studies from eighteen Harvard Business School-linked startups
• Covers the full startup journey: idea validation, funding, team-building, and scaling
• Written by two entrepreneurs with genuine founding and exit experience
• Challenges conventional startup wisdom with evidence-based insight
• Sturdy hardback edition, ideal for desks, offices, or MBA reading lists
• Makes a thoughtful gift for founders, students, and aspiring entrepreneurs

About the Author
Catalina Daniels graduated from Harvard Business School and the Free University of Berlin, and has founded and exited several companies before becoming an active angel investor across multiple startups. James H. Sherman graduated from Harvard Business School and Stanford University, beginning his career at Bain & Company before going on to found and exit ventures of his own. The pair combine academic grounding with genuine operating experience, giving Smart Startups its distinctive blend of rigour and real-world credibility.

Why You'll Love This Book
Smart Startups replaces vague motivational advice with specific, tested lessons from founders who've actually built and sold companies. It's a practical, engaging companion for anyone navigating the early, uncertain stages of a new venture.

Please Note: Cover shown is the UK edition; ISBN and edition are as listed above.