Publishers Weekly
04/13/2020
Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Virk (The Simulation Hypothesis) thorougly debunks my-way-or-the-highway thinking about start-ups in this strong offering aimed at MBAs. Arguing that business schools are better at preparing students to work for established companies than to start their own, he presents his advice in the spirit of an alternative business school curriculum. MBAs often flounder, Virk argues, when they need to understand start-up market life cycles or know how to approach strategic decisions, and are left relying on the outdated clichés they learned in school. He destroys myths about being first to market, raising money only from certain recognized venture capitalists, hiring big names, and allocating time to investors. Instead, he points out that the VC field is no longer small and insular, that it’s better to hire people attuned to the specific culture of the start-up, and plenty of time should be spent on working on the pitch. Moreover, he advises, business school grads have to understand that there are no shortcuts to success. This cogent, far-thinking explanation of how start-ups work will be invaluable for any aspiring founders stymied by traditional business wisdom. (June)
Will Herman
Startup Myths and Models cuts through all the startup noise, bringing real world experience to every entrepreneur in a super easy to access reference book.
Jeffrey Bussgang
In Startup Myths, Riz Virk debunks common misconceptions about life in Startup Land. Both funny and wise, this book is a worthwhile read for any entrepreneur.
Rajeev Surati
Riz Virk was one of my inspirations to be an entrepreneur. My advice to would-be entrepreneurs is to read Riz's book Startup Myths and Models, because it contains wisdom drawn from his twenty-five years of startup battles.
Brad Feld
Riz Virk has been a founder, advisor and investor in startups for twenty-five years; Startup Myths and Models condenses those years of experience into a set of coherent lessons about the real challenges entrepreneurs face and how to overcome them. If you are going on the entrepreneur's journey, this book is a great companion for every stage of the adventure!
Michael Dornbrook
I’ve founded five companies, made angel investments in over 100, and served on numerous startup boards—I wish I'd had a book like this before I started! Packed with hard-earned wisdom, Riz Virk does a great job of debunking myths and over-simple rules of thumb in the startup universe.
Pat Riley
Startup Myths and Models is one of the best textbooks for founders who are going through accelerators, (and, of course for those that aren't). Riz Virk reveals secrets about starting, funding, growing, and selling your startup all while doing what's most important - staying sane and healthy. This is one of my go-to recommendations for any founder beginning or currently on the startup journey.
Mitchell Liu
When launching a new business, there's no one I'd rather have at my side than Riz Virk as a cofounder or adviser. Having Riz's book, Startup Myths and Models, is the next-best thing. Equip yourself to win the battles that you'll encounter in your startup adventure by reading and digesting the lessons in this book. 100% results, no fluff!
Tim Miano
Whether you're a curious student or a serial entrepreneur, Startup Myths and Models is on my recommended reading list for any startup founder. Riz's use of the Hero's Journey will help you understand how answering the call to the startup adventure will forever change you for the better!
Randy Komisar
In this lively read, Riz Virk scrutinizes popular startup myths and provides crystal-clear startup models to guide entrepreneurs on their journey. Fortify yourself on this book’s rich experience and insights before you set out.
ZDNet
There are practical do's and don'ts, and a nuanced discussion of how to tell if a truism is going to help or hurt your particular situation. This is the kind of expertise most founders don't have direct access to, and there are plenty of useful nuggets here.
Publisher’s Weekly
This cogent, far-thinking explanation of how start-ups work will be invaluable for any aspiring founders stymied by traditional business wisdom.
From the Publisher
Startup Myths and Models cuts through all the startup noise, bringing real world experience to every entrepreneur in a super easy to access reference book.--Will Herman, coauthor of The Startup Playbook, angel investor, founder of 5 startups (2 IPOs)
Startup Myths and Models is one of the best textbooks for founders who are going through accelerators, (and, of course for those that aren't). Riz Virk reveals secrets about starting, funding, growing, and selling your startup all while doing what's most important - staying sane and healthy. This is one of my go-to recommendations for any founder beginning or currently on the startup journey.--Pat Riley, CEO of GAN (Global Accelerator Network)
I've founded five companies, made angel investments in over 100, and served on numerous startup boards--I wish I'd had a book like this before I started! Packed with hard-earned wisdom, Riz Virk does a great job of debunking myths and over-simple rules of thumb in the startup universe.--Michael Dornbrook, COO of Harmonix (makers of Guitar Hero), member of Common Angels, and VP of marketing at InfoCom (makers of Zork)
In Startup Myths, Riz Virk debunks common misconceptions about life in Startup Land. Both funny and wise, this book is a worthwhile read for any entrepreneur.--Jeffrey Bussgang, Harvard Business School, general partner at Flybridge Capital Partners, and author of Mastering the VC Game
In this lively read, Riz Virk scrutinizes popular startup myths and provides crystal-clear startup models to guide entrepreneurs on their journey. Fortify yourself on this book's rich experience and insights before you set out.--Randy Komisar, partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, author of The Monk and the Riddle and Straight Talk for Startups
Riz Virk has been a founder, advisor and investor in startups for twenty-five years; Startup Myths and Models condenses those years of experience into a set of coherent lessons about the real challenges entrepreneurs face and how to overcome them. If you are going on the entrepreneur's journey, this book is a great companion for every stage of the adventure!--Brad Feld, cofounder of Foundry Group and author of #GiveFirst and Venture Deals
Riz Virk was one of my inspirations to be an entrepreneur. My advice to would-be entrepreneurs is to read Riz's book Startup Myths and Models, because it contains wisdom drawn from his twenty-five years of startup battles.--Rajeev Surati, cofounder of Flash Communications (sold to Microsoft) and Photo.net
There are practical do's and don'ts, and a nuanced discussion of how to tell if a truism is going to help or hurt your particular situation. This is the kind of expertise most founders don't have direct access to, and there are plenty of useful nuggets here.-- "ZDNet"
This cogent, far-thinking explanation of how start-ups work will be invaluable for any aspiring founders stymied by traditional business wisdom.-- "Publisher's Weekly"
When launching a new business, there's no one I'd rather have at my side than Riz Virk as a cofounder or adviser. Having Riz's book, Startup Myths and Models, is the next-best thing. Equip yourself to win the battles that you'll encounter in your startup adventure by reading and digesting the lessons in this book. 100% results, no fluff!--Mitchell Liu, cofounder of SLIVER.tv, Theta Labs, Gameview, and Tapjoy
Whether you're a curious student or a serial entrepreneur, Startup Myths and Models is on my recommended reading list for any startup founder. Riz's use of the Hero's Journey will help you understand how answering the call to the startup adventure will forever change you for the better!--Tim Miano, associate director, Harvard Innovation Labs, and cofounder/CEO, SP@CE
Publisher’s Weekly
This cogent, far-thinking explanation of how start-ups work will be invaluable for any aspiring founders stymied by traditional business wisdom.
