Part I: Bibliographic information
Type: Nonfiction/Crossover
Title: The Art of the Start
Writer: Guy Kawasaki
Copyright Date: 2004
Publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN: 1-59184-056-2
Genre/subgenre: Business/Entreprenuership
Interest Age: 12+
Reading Level: Upper Grades (UG 9-12)
Pages: 222
Awards: n/a
Part I: Reader’s Annotation, Plot Summary, Critical Evaluation
Reader’s Annotation -- An inspiring overview of the essential phases involved in starting your own enterprise written by one of the leading business minds of the new generation of entrepreneurial thinkers. Kawasaki’s insights stem from his work at Apple on the rebirth of the Macintosh.
Plot Summary -- This gem of a book is written in five broad strokes: causation, activation, proliferation, obligation. He includes some subtext within these groups that are of a more practical nature such as writing a business plan and branding. However, the overall organization focuses on the big picture of planning for a business venture. This includes dusting the book with inspirational quotes. Also, he focuses on taking specific action rather than ruminating about the planning process in the abstract way. He lays out this pre-text in “Read Me First” (a play on txt document that often comes with software). In fact, the book has a bend toward high tech start up though Kawasaki suggest that it is just as applicable outside of Silicon Valley and can even apply to the nonprofit sector.
Kawasaki includes a lot of tidbits that relate to business ethics. This culminates in the final chapter titled, “The Art of Being a Mensh”. A mensch is defined as someone who is ethical and admired for this quality. In today’s competitive business climate, setting yourself apart by paying back (not forward in expectation of reward) to the world by selfless and charitable acts and decisions. This moralistic view borders on a call to spiritual that is reminiscent of the Steve Jobs attitude toward life. It’s combined by the idea of surrounding yourself with like minded people who are driven by inner desire to create, contribute and succeed.
Critical Evaluation -- Guy Kawasaki is the author of a dozen books on business, publishing and entrepreneurism. His began with the story of his successes at Apple called The MacIntosh Way in 1987. Most recently he has published Enchantment (2010), which Kirkus Review describes as a modern ‘how to win friends and influence enemies’. The Art of the Start (2004) was written in the light of Silicon Valley and the ethos of can do that has made high technology the Wild West of today’s business world. He captures this irreverence throughout The Art of the Start by bucking conventions. For one, he does not fill it with heady idea material. This is a hands on approach parts of which are laid out like a workbook. Particularly for the younger reader, this brings to light the sort of processes that go into taking an idea and making it a reality. Some of the material could date out but not much as he bases his approach in eternals like friendship, character and psychology. has called this work “a weapon of mass construction,” (Kawasaki, 2013), and it has gone on to sell over time and become a go to for those aspiring to go through the business start up process. He has garnered dozens of positive reviews and support of big hitters like Ebay founder Pierre Omidyar and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson. This is not just another business book but rather a worn at the edges directions manual that’s been put to the test.
Part III: Author Info
Guy Kawasaki has been called a “Silicon Valley author” on his Wikipedia entry. His duties at Apple were primarily in marketing and his works reflect this bent. Originally from Hawaii, he studied psychology as an undergraduate at Stanford University, according to Wikipedia. He later dropped out of law school to attend UCLA Anderson School of Management. He began in the jewelry business, which he describes as much tougher than computers. Eventually, he was hired at Apple via a Stanford contact and he has remained in the Silicon Valley world every since. His most current involvement relates to Google +.
At present, he has published a dozen books starting with The MacIntosh Way (1990) and recently he added APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur -- How to Publish a Book (2013). He is also a sought after speaker and is involved in venture capitalism via his Garage Technology Ventures and in software development on a number of newly emerging technologies he has worked on over time. One might say that Kawasaki is a man with many irons in the fire and whose vocabulary does not include the word ‘retire.” (Wikipedia, 2013).
Part IV: Curriculum Ties, Diversity, Booktalk Ideas, Challenge Issues
Curriculum Ties, if any -- Great book for a science fair project or business course for young people.
Diversity of Cultures -- Kawasaki is an American-born Japanese American. His interest in marketing and entrepreneurism does buck some of the stereotypes of what Asians chose to do professionally.
Booktalking Ideas -- This would be a great read to promote in conjunction with a maker’s fair. Kawasaki is all about taking the idea into reality even if that means building it in your garage. What great ideas have come from this sort of thinking and why is it important to our economy?
Challenge Issues -- None unless you believe that promoting business to young people is somehow unethical.
Part V: Reasons chosen
We tend to shove our young people down a path of traditional curriculum that leaves out the real world to a large degree. Kawasaki’s work is about the reality of success in today’s business world. He advocates a ‘can do’ ethos that sets him apart from the droves of business books that tend to be rather trendy or heady. Also, this book is not just about creating a business but applies to the nonprofit sector, too. In fact, much of what he suggests can be applied to your personal life -- particularly the parts about bringing enthusiasm to the table and getting to the doing of things and not just the planning for them.
Part VI: Citations
Kawasaki, G. (2013). The art of the start [webpage]. Retrieved from http://www.guykawasaki.com/the-art-of-the-start/
Wikipedia. (2013). Guy Kawasaki [webpage]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Kawasaki
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