• Do More Faster

  • TechStars Lessons to Accelerate Your Startup
  • By: Brad Feld, David Cohen
  • Narrated by: Sean Pratt
  • Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (531 ratings)

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Do More Faster

By: Brad Feld, David Cohen
Narrated by: Sean Pratt
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Publisher's summary

It is a cold, hard fact of business life that most startups fail. Even many of those entrepreneurs who ultimately succeed have stories of personal challenges, unsuccessful companies, and difficulties along the way. The founders of TechStars, a mentorship-driven startup accelerator, have worked with entrepreneurs and companies over the past twenty-five years, and have seen a number of the same issues come up again and again.

In Do More Faster, the founders of TechStars identify the key issues that first-time entrepreneurs encounter, and offer proven advice from successful entrepreneurs who have worked with the TechStars program.

The authors organize the most critical issues into seven themes: Idea and Vision, People, Execution, Product, Fundraising, Legal and Structure, and Work and Life Balance. Many of the examples are personal experiences from the entrepreneurs themselves, integrated into a cohesive narrative - while at the same time able to stand on their own. Throughout the book, they debunk numerous myths about startups and reveal some surprising truths. They explain, for instance, that the core of a startup is not always a world-changing and earth-shattering idea - in fact, it is often the case that successful startups started out doing something else.

They also underscore the efficiency of execution: great entrepreneurs know how to synthesize data, make a decision about the path they are going down, and execute. And they offer some alternatives to traditional ways of raising money, while stressing that you shouldn't start with the assumption that you need to raise money.

Mastering the seven themes may not ensure success, but understanding the issues, reading the stories, and getting advice pertaining to these issues will increase your chances dramatically. And if nothing else, you'll realize that you aren't alone in facing these challenges.

©2010 Brad Feld, David Cohen (P)2011 Gildan Media Corp

Critic reviews

"Remember when experience mattered? Thanks to this book, no matter how new to your field or how young or inexperienced you are, you can learn from people who have actually done it. Sure beats failing." (Seth Godin, author of Linchpin)

What listeners say about Do More Faster

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    1 out of 5 stars

Not worth the time

Would you try another book from Brad Feld and David Cohen and/or Sean Pratt?

Probably, these are smart, successful guys, but the format of this book (a bunch of blog articles that are pretty obvious and not very insightful) didn't work for me.

Has Do More Faster turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

Would you listen to another book narrated by Sean Pratt?

Yes

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I guess if you are really just thinking about entrepreneurship for the first time and don't want to do some simple searches on the internet, there are some take aways here.

Any additional comments?

Just not enough deep insights, seemed really superficial and obvious.

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5 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

8 hr infomercial for Techstars

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

These guys are putting this book out to promote their company. Which is fine when done subtly, but they say Techstars so many times it becomes noticeable. Very few entrepreneurial principles being expressed compared to other entrepreneurial books.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Good Book

Completely disagree with the reviewer that said this is an infomercial for tech stars. It's a case study format, and the case studies come from tech stars experiences.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Tips for Every Entrepreneur

The authors of this book run a well-respected program for high tech entrepreneurs, but even if you're a not a software person, the tips in this book about starting, running, and planning a business are extremely valuable. So many of the chapters stick with me months after I listened, especially "fail fast." Some tips are complex and structural for how to set up a business. Other tips are light such as "don't suck at e-mail." A great education.

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An absolute MUST READ for every entrepreneur

Which character ??? as performed by Sean Pratt ??? was your favorite?

I think learned the most from Alex White's multiple stories. No wonder he features so prominently in the book--he's a really smart businessman.

Any additional comments?

Everyone in the startup world and every entrepreneur regardless of whether you're in tech, bio, green, industry, or lemonade stands, should read this book. Each chapter is a lesson learned the hard way by a TechStars company founder. Plus, after each chapter David Cohen & Brad Feld (founders of TechStars) give their thoughts.

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2 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Good outline, little substance.

Solid high level advice. But if you are looking for a field guide on doing more faster, this isn't it.

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1 person found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Self promote

No doubt there are some good and interesting tips in this book. The narration was not the most interesting or well spoken.
I felt it used the word techstars for about 20% of its content so I became alienated with the story line and messages. Not the best production but still some fair tips.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great book, but little bias

great book if you have a startup company. But some how this book feels like an ad for Tech Star. Just want to let ppl know, Tech Star is no longer the best incubator out there.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Some good points, but it could be a lot better

Some very good points, here and there, on important issues, but I finished the book feeling that the authors could...do more, better. There is also a lot of Boulder this, Boulder That said, it is still worth it.that, or so and so has been XYZ at Techstars. The word Techstars is mentioned so many times that it becomes a distraction. It is probably caused by the format of the book : a collection of advice from Techstars related people.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

struggled to finish it

Struggled to finish it. Very choppy approach to writing a book. Kind of like a bunch of blog posts put together in a book. A lot of these companies are no longer in existence so it makes the content feel less relevant. a few good takeaways here and there.

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