Mini Book Review: The $100 Startup

The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future by Chris Guillebeau

Not quite sure what to make of this book. It does tell the tales of quite a few businesses that all started small, i.e. as a (more or less) $100 startup. These stories are interesting to read, but don't really help you, since many of those businesses are accidental. Later parts of the book try to analyze how to come up with ideas for promising micro-businesses. It also discusses that, eventually, you will have to make the decision between further growth and staying small. Those options, again, are supported by examples.

The book keeps a somewhat neutral point. Which, I guess, is what is irritating me about it. The summary of the book in 5 sentences would look something like this:

Here are some examples of successful small businesses, many of which came about accidentally. Here are some tips on how to find a promising idea. If it catches on, you will either have to grow or make the conscious decision to stay small. Here are some examples of businesses that did one or the other. It's your decision. The End.

As I said, it's an interesting read, but I'm only taking away a vague message: Starting a small business (without any large upfront investment) can work.