They say there is no better teacher than experience. By personally going through something, we get a much better understanding of the underlying processes which then becomes an incomparable learning experience. Entrepreneurs need to go through the motions of setting up their own businesses, facing challenges and setbacks, and ultimately the wins themselves. There is no course, book or training program you can enroll into to bypass the learning that takes place as you go through the steps yourself. What you can do for yourself however, is read and learn from the many entrepreneurs who document their journeys. I personally really enjoy reading and listening to entrepreneurs tell their stories, and do my best to take away advice and learning that I can implement in my own businesses. Young Guns is such a book. Written by a young and successful entrepreneur it is an extremely easy-to-read and information-rich book for those who are sitting on the fence and wondering whether they should take the plunge.

I read the book in a single sitting. It is an extremely well laid out book and flows seamlessly from chapter to chapter. The entire book is based on one very powerful question ” Why not me? ” It is a question everyone should ask themselves on a daily basis. If you are not pursuing the life you always imagined, and know many individuals who are, what is stopping you from following that path? The book starts out with some foundational chapters on the importance of selecting the right idea and rigorously testing it to make sure it is something you are truly passionate about, and want to pursue. It is not a question of ” I could do this ” but rather ” I really, really want to do this “. The next couple of chapters discuss some very pertinent points on selecting the right business partners and getting started.

There are three chapters that really got my attention in the book. One of them is setting the correct priorities for the first year of business. This is something that is often not given adequate and substantial attention to, what with the euphoria of starting-up, when things are often fairly muddled and disorganized. This chapter provides a seven point checklist to assist you in getting organized which is a great help. The next chapter that I really enjoyed reading was the importance of backing up your sales. This is another area where first time entrepreneurs often make critical mistakes. Securing business and important client accounts is very important. However, maintaining the accounts you have won is of even greater importance to sustain growth and stability. This chapter has a lot of good points on this topic. The last chapter that got my attention was the one on the importance of calculating the numbers. In the end we have to structure our businesses in a way to maximize upside potential and create realistic projections for the future. Getting a good accountant is something that even I had not given enough importance to till earlier last year. Lots of good tips within this chapter to help you get started!

In conclusion this is a great book for individuals who want to make that leap of faith, yet, are still unsure about what lies ahead. By telling his personal story and adding many great insights from other entrepreneurs, this book by Robert Tuchman provides a great overview for you to get started on the right foot.