First Entrepreneur: How George Washington Built His -- and the Nation's -- Prosperity

by Edward G. Lengel

The United States was conceived in business, founded on business, and operated as a business—all because of the entrepreneurial mind of the greatest American businessman of any generation: George Washington.

Using Washington's extensive but often overlooked financial papers, Edward G. Lengel chronicles the fascinating and inspiring story of how this self-educated man built the Mount Vernon estate into a vast multi-layered enterprise, prudently managed meager resources to win the war of independence, and, as president, helped establish the national economy on a solid footing. Washington's steadfast commitment to the core economic principles of probity, transparency, careful management, and calculated boldness are timeless lessons that should inspire and instruct investors even today.

First Entrepreneur will transform how ordinary Americans think about their history.

Genres: American History, History, American Revolution, Biography, Nonfiction, Politics, Economics

296 pages, Hardcover

First published January 26, 2016

About the author

Independent historian, hiker, and voracious reader. As an author, I'm delighted to have reached the stage where I can write purely for personal enjoyment and interest, as my forthcoming works will attest!

Reviews

[Miles Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly well done biography of President Washington

I loved this book from beginning to end. It showed the tedious nature required in forming a nation. Starting from his early years all of the way to his estates and then the war followed with amazing details regarding the formation of the United States - he really developed it all from scratch and it was as though democracy was the ideal but the actual real precedent was always capitalism. He created the country's government when there were 4 members of the department of the treasury and no process whatsoever regarding terms nor really anything else. He created a blueprint for the US

[Kevin Cullis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Other than Benjamin Franklin, George Washington is now my new best founding father to learn more from. He had a great entrepreneurial and community mind. From the book, "Self-interest, as the general knew, motivated production and innovation... [people were enticed by] prospects of developing skills and enterprises that could flourish in the return to a civilian society after the war." He was not only concerned with others, but took NO pay during the Revolutionary War, ONLY wanted to be paid for his expenses, which he kept accurate to the penny.

[Chris Brochon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting look at a side of Washington one does not think of; Washington the businessman.

[Karen Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your typical biography, but if you'd like to understand more about George Washington than the usual information about his military and political career, then this is the book for you. Washington was much more than just the General who beat Cornwallis at Yorktown or our first President. He was an advocate of manufacturing growth and commerce in the beginning days of our country. He sought out and adapted technological advances that would help advance not only his own wealth, but also that of all Americans. He was a model for improved agricultural practices. And as a mostly self-taught individual, he was able to amass a great fortune - upon his death he was likely one of the 100 wealthiest Americans.

"First Entrepreneur" is a fascinating look into one aspect of life that led to the American Revolution - commerce - and allows us to watch the gradual realization by Washington that the only way the colonies will ever be able to thrive commercially, and thereby shake off the shackles of commercial and monetary restraint from Great Britain, is through revolution. If Great Britain had allowed more freedom of trade and not required the colonies to remain dependent upon G.B. for coinage and manufactured goods, we might still be flying the Union Jack!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite possibly the best biography of a Founding Father I've ever read. If you love America, you need to read this book.

[Cam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! Great insight on George’s life and ambitions. It puts into perspective how America became the America we know today.

[Jim Benton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read "The First Entrepreneur" earlier last year. This is the book that one wanted to be: actual history not suffused with neo-con fakery.

[Tim Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative, enjoyed seeing the business side of Washington and what drove him and his many entrepreneurial ventures

[David Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read several biographies of George Washington that focused on his military experiences and his life as our first President. This book is a bit different, in that it shows us his early experiences as a surveyor and farmer, and how those experiences shaped his economic thinking and behavior.

During the Revolutionary war, Washington wasn't only thinking about military tactics. He forbade confiscations that would have spread "disaffection - jealousy & fear in the people." The British, meanwhile, relied on their supplies of hard currency, and then confiscated what they could not purchase. The Continental Army was able to win the contest of supply and also for the hearts and minds of the people.

Washington loved Mt. Vernon and loved to see it making a profit. When he realized the tobacco market would put him in debt, he quickly phased it out and changed to planting and experimenting with other crops.

This is a well written biography of Washington that provides us with an interesting, different point of view - that of an entrepreneur farmer that had an informed grasp on economics.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Congratulations to Ed Lengel for another important addition to the biography of George Washington. In this well-written and fast paced volume, Dr Lengel brings this "marble man" into the realm of the real, into the world where things do not always go as planned, and where hard work, study and research and networking are necessary to be able to attain one's goals. To be sure, Washington started his life with many advantages, but he was able to build on those, deal with all sorts of adversity - military, political and economic, throughout his life, to build the success and accompanying reputation he continues to enjoy today. I was particularly interested in Dr Langel's description of Washington's focus on "practical economics" necessary to the conduct of the revolutionary war - that's not an often-told story in popular writings about this period.

[Travis Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

We have all learned the lessons of George Washington being the famous general in our first president. These are great lessons and a definitive part of our country's history, but little did we know he was also a great businessman as well. While reading this book, I wondered where these lessons were when I was in school and studying American history. Unfortunately they were in other tucked away spots, not readily presentable to a high school or college history student. Fortunately with first entrepreneur this changes. Now those with a desire for more information about one of our greatest leaders need look no further than this book. I hope that students and teachers alike will turn to First Entrepreneur to learn more about this great leader.

[Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wouldn't recommend as a first read on Washington but one can never spend too much time with our founding father. First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his country men and now we find first in American business. Very interesting take on Washington's turn against slave labor to free labor based on the experience running his estate.