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Becoming an Entrepreneur: How to Find Freedom and Fulfillment as a Business Owner
Successful entrepreneur Jake Desyllas demystifies entrepreneurship, providing a cheerful and inspiring call to action for those who yearn to break free. Becoming an Entrepreneur is unique in its focus on the psychological dimensions of starting a business. Using personal examples, Desyllas approaches this topic with insight and sensitivity, showing you how to overcome the mindset of “employee conditioning” and find fulfillment by creating an enterprise in line with your values. Readers will learn how to reach profitability, remove themselves from the daily grind, and achieve personal and professional freedom as a business owner. Becoming an Entrepreneur is a short, jargon-free guide, packed with solid advice that you can start using today to build and manage your own business. By the time you've finished reading this book, you'll understand the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and have a set of timeless principles that can you use in any business situation. If you're ready to jailbreak your career and lifestyle, Becoming an Entrepreneur will set you on the right path.
- GenresBusinessEntrepreneurship
148 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2014
About the author
Jake Desyllas
4 books32 followersJake Desyllas is an author, investor, entrepreneur and podcaster. He writes about entrepreneurship, financial independence, and freedom. He is the host of The Voluntary Life podcast.
In 2000, he founded Intelligent Space, an award-winning consultancy that led innovation in the field of pedestrian movement simulation and analysis. In 2010, he sold his business, quit the rat race, and retired early at the age of 38.
He has a bachelors degree, a masters degree, and a doctorate. He is a perpetual traveler, a minimalist, a productivity geek, an avid reader of philosophy and psychology, and a marathon inline skater.
In 2000, he founded Intelligent Space, an award-winning consultancy that led innovation in the field of pedestrian movement simulation and analysis. In 2010, he sold his business, quit the rat race, and retired early at the age of 38.
He has a bachelors degree, a masters degree, and a doctorate. He is a perpetual traveler, a minimalist, a productivity geek, an avid reader of philosophy and psychology, and a marathon inline skater.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 9, 2014
I'm not an entrepreneur, but I am a freelance (independent) editor. (Disclosure: I am the editor of Jake's book.) What I liked most about Becoming an Entrepreneur was Jake's message that anyone can create a business or self-made source of income, no matter what his or her personality type. As an "introvert," I long thought having my own business in an extroverted world was not possible. The answer, as Jake explains, is self-knowledge.
When you know, and therefore can utilize, your personal strengths and weaknesses, it frees both you and everyone else to become part of "a vast network of independent contractors" — in which you exchange value (skills) for value. No matter what type of business you start, and Jake tells how he knew nothing about his product when he started his business, you can choose and carry out whatever responsibilities at which you excel, and delegate or learn the rest. As Jake asserts, we live in the best time historically for self-made businesses. If you're looking for a book that will support your dreams — whatever they may be — and a thorough explanation of the practical steps that you need to take in order to carry them out, this is it.
Jake shares the hard-won information gained with personal experience, and he shares it enthusiastically and thoroughly. His book is invaluable to anyone who wants to leave behind the world of the “employed” and join the world of the free.
When you know, and therefore can utilize, your personal strengths and weaknesses, it frees both you and everyone else to become part of "a vast network of independent contractors" — in which you exchange value (skills) for value. No matter what type of business you start, and Jake tells how he knew nothing about his product when he started his business, you can choose and carry out whatever responsibilities at which you excel, and delegate or learn the rest. As Jake asserts, we live in the best time historically for self-made businesses. If you're looking for a book that will support your dreams — whatever they may be — and a thorough explanation of the practical steps that you need to take in order to carry them out, this is it.
Jake shares the hard-won information gained with personal experience, and he shares it enthusiastically and thoroughly. His book is invaluable to anyone who wants to leave behind the world of the “employed” and join the world of the free.
July 10, 2022
Encouraging entrepreneurship
I found Jake via his podcast show - The Voluntary Life. I decided to get the book because Jake does excellent book reviews so I had a positive expectation prior to reading his book. The beginning of the book discusses the idea of starting your own business. The next half is advice on navigating the road once you start. It is not a 'how become an entrepreneur' book. Jake's book is about becoming or considering entrepreneurship and suggestions/advice from someone who has had his own business. I found the possibility of entrepreneurship less daunting after reading his book.
I found Jake via his podcast show - The Voluntary Life. I decided to get the book because Jake does excellent book reviews so I had a positive expectation prior to reading his book. The beginning of the book discusses the idea of starting your own business. The next half is advice on navigating the road once you start. It is not a 'how become an entrepreneur' book. Jake's book is about becoming or considering entrepreneurship and suggestions/advice from someone who has had his own business. I found the possibility of entrepreneurship less daunting after reading his book.
July 2, 2014
Author's style is simple enough, so people whose primary language is not English, can read, understand, and appreciate the book, but it is far from being simplistic. I doubt that I would be able to find such clear and accessible book written in or translated to Polish. During long years of public schooling not once have I heard of ideas shared by Jake in his book. Thank You.
May 4, 2014
This is a must read for anyone teetering on the brink of starting their own business. Jake talks about how state education leaves us ill prepared to start and run a business. He then shares practical, real world advice based on his own experiences.
July 9, 2014
I enjoy listening to Jake's podcast and this book was no different. It was full of useful information for anyone working on building a business, plus many ideas that I don't think most entrepreneurs have thought about. Overall, worth your time to read.
March 23, 2015
Good and perfectly clear. A remedy for anyone on the brink of deciding that there is no good employment available for them in this world
January 15, 2018
Full of encouragement and practical advice. A succinct book with good ideas about how to start your own business by establishing the right processes and mindset from the beginning. I’m also a big fan of Jake’s podcast (A Voluntary Life), where he dives deeper into some of these topics.
The best part of the book for me was that he recognized the mental “hurdles” somebody coming from an employee background must face when evolving to become an entrepreneur.
The best part of the book for me was that he recognized the mental “hurdles” somebody coming from an employee background must face when evolving to become an entrepreneur.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews