The Entrepreneur Equation

Evaluating the Realities, Risks, and Rewards of Having Your Own Business

By: Carol Roth

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

There’s never been a better time to start a business—or so the conventional wisdom would have you believe. But with up to 90 percent of businesses failing within the first five years, it’s time to take off the rose-colored glasses and think twice before you invest your precious time, money, and energy.

The Entrepreneur Equation helps you do the math before you start down the entrepreneurial path so you can answer not just “Could I be an entrepreneur?” but also “Should I be an entrepreneur?” By understanding what it takes to build a valuable business as well as how to assess the risks and rewards of business ownership based on your personal circumstances, you can learn how to stack the odds of success in your favor and ultimately decide if business ownership is the best possible path for you, now or ever.

Through illustrative examples and personalized exercises, tell-it-like-it-is Carol Roth helps you create and evaluate your own personal “entrepreneur equation” as you: learn what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in today’s competitive environment; save money, time, and effort by avoiding business ownership when the time isn’t right for you; identify and evaluate the risks and rewards of a new business based on your goals and circumstances; evaluate whether your dreams are best served by a hobby, job, or business; gain the tools that you need to maximize your business success.

The Entrepreneur Equation is essential reading for the aspiring entrepreneur. Before you invest your life savings, invest in this book!

©2011 Carol Roth (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“One thing readers can be certain of is that Carol Roth will tell it like it is. Her no-nonsense, direct, humorous, and engaging style is part of what makes The Entrepreneur Equation one of the more enjoyable business books to read. But the author also has a serious purpose: to ensure that anyone thinking about starting a business is prepared for it… The Entrepreneur Equation is a definitive guide that will help any would-be entrepreneur objectively assess whether or not to venture into business ownership. Carol Roth’s advice and wisdom will likely make that decision a lot easier.” ( ForeWord Reviews)

Great content though do not like narration

Would you consider the audio edition of The Entrepreneur Equation to be better than the print version?

No. The print version is better because I do not like the narration. I had to stop listening several times because I do not like the narration style.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narration is over-enunciated and sounds more forced than natural flow. Specifically the often said word, entrepreneur, detracts from the content.

Full of options

There are many details,options and opinions here. A great listen to open up your mind and allow you to compare the small business entity and the small business idea.

why a man's voice?

The author is a woman. The cover of the book has her on it. And much to my surprise a man's voice is doing the audio. At least let me pretend the voice is Carol's. Hearing a man's voice just through me off from the start. I say record it again and have a woman do the audio.

An outline of my 4 years of College in one sitting

The main question of this book is, "Are you really better off trying to start your own business, or are you better off just working for someone else?" And this is an important question. If you're not cut out for business, a failure to recognize that fact could cost you everything.

I read this book in one sitting while at work at 1.4x speed. It struck me how much it was like my Finance Major business courses I took in college. I think if I had read this at the beginning of my college education, for instance, as an audiobook textbook for Business 101, which was my first class in my major, then the rest of my college work would feel like it all fit into a big picture rather than just seeming like random concepts all thrown at me, one concept after another. This book shows the whole entrepreneurial equation, and goes through it factor by factor. Do you know about this aspect of running a business, and this? Do you know that you're on the hook for everything when you own the business? Have you considered how risk-free it is to just work for someone else? Do you realize that you have to compete against producers all over the world? Do you know about finances, financing, and financial statements? Are you prepared to work 3000 hours or more a year instead of the 2000 hours that most employees work? Why not just work 3000 hours a year at your current job? You might make more than you could reasonably expect starting a business, which would require you to work like a workaholic.
Are you trying to make your hobby your job? That's probably not a financially profitable task. Don't quit your day job for that, but if you like doing that in your free time, that's cool.

I like the marriage analogies in this book.
Business is like marriage. Maybe you're not ready to go into it yet-- but with solid preparation, it could be a great idea and is the best thing you could do. It comes with a lot of risk, and requires a lot from you, including patience, service, and hard work, but it could possibly be the most rewarding and valuable decision you ever make. But don't go into it with delusions, or you will be disillusioned after a failure or near-failure. This book can help cure your delusions and educate you into a better position. If you somehow gain nothing as it relates to business by reading this book, you may find it helps you with marital advice, which is much like business advice.

There is a summary of the chapters in the final chapter of this book, which perhaps some people may find to be a nice outline of the book before they read it.

"Think of this book as a prequel to "The E-Myth Revisited."

Nice Guy Check for Wannabe Entrepreneurs

Carol Roth does a nice job of explaining the perils of entrepreneurship. In an ocean full of feel good books about the successes, triumphs of some, Roth’s book offers refreshing insight.

I dig this book and encourage its consumption.

Shark Tank

Really good book however, it seems like they are talking about the shark tank variety of entrepreneur. I’ve been self-employed for 30 years and this book really doesn’t pertain to me. however, it is very interesting.

Essential to any Entrepreneur

Even if you think you know something about running a business this book serves as a sort of entrepreneur check list; it brings up several things you weren't even thinking about, and puts several others into a new perspective. The message can be a little intimidating at times, and that's a very good thing — you need to know exactly what you're getting into. Carol tells it like it is without a lot of sunshine and jellybeans: she delivers your wake up call with both barrels.

I always hope to finish a book and have at least one takeaway, "The Entrepreneur Equation" gave me several. I'm working on a startup, and this book forced me to rethink parts of my strategy, which will save me lots of pain and money in the future. Grateful to have read it and definitely recommend.

Needs Woman Narrator

This is a great book for anyone considering starting their own business. I would certainly recommend the book, but that audio book isn't the best format as is. It is written by a woman in a first person perspective. Since she uses personal references throughout the book it sounds odd at times with a male narrator. Mike Chamberlain does a good job, but his male voice does not lend well to this book. A woman narrator is needed.

Great read.

This should be read by everyone before opening a business. Very vital information is highlighted.

A must read for any aspiring enterpreneur.

Where does The Entrepreneur Equation rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Outstanding. Unique expertise delivered in concise organized form. If this book doesn't teach one sensibility in business decisions, nothing would. All the angles are covered.

What other book might you compare The Entrepreneur Equation to and why?

N/A

Which character – as performed by Mike Chamberlain – was your favorite?

N/a

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely no.