Upstart Start-Ups!: How 34 Young Entrepreneurs Overcame Youth, Inexperience, and Lack of Money to Create Thriving Businesses

What do Dave Kapell of Magnetic Poetry, Amy Nye Wolf of Altitunes, and the brothers Gardner of the Motley Fool have in common? They're all, says Ron Lieber, founders of promising companies and on the road to success despite youth, skimpy track records, and minimal finances. In Upstart Start-Ups, Leiber--a twentysomething who snagged his first cover story in Fortune at age 24--explains how these aspiring moguls formed the ventures that have allowed them to strike out on their own in such impressive fashion. Leiber is both blunt and inspiring as he weaves their stories around solid advice aimed at readers who might like to follow in their footsteps. Tackling the process from idea formation, he describes finding and living with a business partner, capitalizing a venture without selling your soul, standing out in a crowded marketplace, and calling a meeting even if you've never called one before. He also devotes a chapter to the art of summoning the appropriate backup troops when truly necessary, regardless of whether that help must be secured from family members or professional gurus. --Howard Rothman