Norm Brodsky

People starting out in business tend to seek step-by-step formulas or rules, but in reality there are no magic bullets. Rather, says veteran company-builder Norm Brodsky, there's a mentality that helps street-smart entrepreneurs solve problems and pursue opportunities as they arise. Brodsky shares his hard-earned wisdom every month in "Inc." magazine, in the hugely popular "Street Smarts" column he cowrites with Bo Burlingham. Now they've adapted their best advice into a comprehensive guide for anyone running a small business.

Too many start-ups don't make the grade - what makes a successful business take off?Starting a new business is exciting, but there are many traps for the unwary. Some would-be entrepreneurs stick so firmly to their step-by-step guides that they don't see what's really going on. Others become so obsessed with potential problems they lose sight of the bigger picture. What they really need, according to serial entrepreneur Norm Brodsky, is a mindset that will help them to stay focussed on the real goals and grab opportunities whenever they arise. He calls it 'the knack'. It's helped him to build eight phenomenally successful companies, and in this book he uses stories of real companies facing real challenges to show you how to develop it too.