The MouseDriver Chronicles: The True-Life Adventures of Two First-Time Entrepreneurs

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Greg Fisher

An excellent snapshot of a real business during the bubble

Amazing Book

An unexpected enjoyable truip

GO GO GO BUY IT-NOW!

The MouseDriver Chronicles: The True-Life Adventures of Two First-Time Entrepreneurs
John Lusk , and Kyle Harrison
Manufacturer: Perseus Books Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0738208019

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John Lusk and Kyle Harrison seemed slightly out of their minds when, unlike their fellow MBAs, they skipped on flashy, lucrative offers from dot-coms to become entrepreneurs. Specifically, to produce and sell a computer mouse designed to look like a golf-club head (a state-of-the-art titanium driver to be exact). "I wanted to feel the pain of starting a company," Lusk writes in this clear and insightful memoir, "to go into debt, have my ego crushed and experience first-hand the thrill of working like a dog for months without a paycheck." Since he also expected to make a million in two years, it's not surprising that all these come to pass. The duo struggle with the fundamentals of making and selling, run-ins with typhoons, shabby off-shore manufacturing, and soon dot-com envy sets in. But when the dot-coms start going belly-up, this little-retail-product-company-that-could shows that the basics of business still apply--a handy lesson for those wondering what happened after the dot-com crash, as well as any would-be entrepreneurs wanting to make a go of it. --Lesley Reed

Book Description

The remarkable journey of two recent B-school grads who shunned dot-com opportunities for a distinctly different start-up experience.

It all started late one night at The Ginger Man, a popular restaurant in Dallas, Texas. Using the back of a beer coaster and the bartender's pen, Kyle Harrison, in a moment of inspiration, began sketching an unusual computer mouse, shaped like the head of a driver golf club. He took the idea with him to the Wharton School of Business, where he managed to impress his roommate, John Lusk. Upon graduation, they bravely but somewhat naïvely set forth to launch their company, Platinum Concepts, Inc., and its flagship product, MouseDriver™. Settling in San Francisco in an apartment that doubled as home and worldwide business headquarters, they had a front-row seat to the dot-com boom--watching their classmates rake in piles of cash and stock options, while they financed their venture with their own credit cards.

The MouseDriver™ Chronicles is the riveting, one-of-a-kind narrative that chronicles their entrepreneurial journey. It takes us behind the scenes of the authors' tumultuous first two years of business, years marked by endless corporate cold calling, multiple failed attempts to find a distributor, and even a typhoon that derailed their very first shipment of MouseDrivers.

A must-read for anyone who wants to start a business or wonders what it is like to do so, The MouseDriver™ Chronicles will inform, inspire, and renew our faith in the American spirit to succeed against all odds.

Customer Reviews:

Greg Fisher.......2005-03-22

The Mousedriver Chronicles is the story of 2 Wharton MBA's who take a business plan developed on their entrepreneurship course at Wharton and decide to make a go of it. In 1999 they turn away high paying jobs at investment banks and over funded dot.com startups to go it alone.

Their idea: to make and sell a computer mouse that looks like the head of a golf driver.

They fund the venture themselves, find a manufacturer in Hong Kong, move to San Francisco (to be part of all the start up vibe in The Bay area) and run the business from the kitchen of their rented flat.

Their story is brilliantly relayed as they grapple with manufacturing, marketing and distribution hassles. The single product focus of their new company, named Platinum Concepts Inc., makes for a wonderful entrepreneurial story with excellent lessons about what it takes to succeed as a self funded start up. The two founders quickly learn that they need more than the theoretical knowledge acquired on their MBA at Wharton; they need to be street wise. They experiment with different mechanisms to make things happen and end up categorizing their execution strategies as follows:
Plan A: Make use of their business school network and contacts
Plan B: Hit the streets and the shops to find a creative solution
Plan C: Work the Yellow Pages

More often than not, plan B and C worked far better than plan A.

One of the founders, John Lusk, began sharing their entrepreneurial adventure with friends and family via a monthly email called "The Insider". The Insider was a real, often humorous, sometimes highly insightful newsletter about their adventure. The insider subscriber list grew and grew. MBA lecturers began distributing The Insider as prescribed reading. In 2001 Inc. Magazine featured a cover story on the company and its two founders. The Inc. cover story entitled "An American Start-up" focuses on the impact of The Insider e-mail newsletter. The email newsletters were used as the foundation for the book published in 2001 entitled The "Mousedriver Chronicles".
The company has since been shut down but the Mousedriver website still serves as a portal for entrepreneurs and copies of The Insider newsletter can be found in PDF format on the website: www.mousedriver.com

An excellent snapshot of a real business during the bubble.......2004-11-11

There is so much in this book that I can relate to, having started my own company around the same time in Silicon Valley (although in software). John and Kyle made the same mistakes that many entrepreneurs thankfully make - they followed their passion instead of their senses, and didn't buckle under the pressure and the unknown. One other valuable lesson from this book -- document your process. This is a great way to share your successes and your mistakes with others. I wish we had more stories like this when I was working on my MBA - something more than the dry, non-applicable case studies stuck in front of us. And John and Kyle also provided one other important gem: how to save a few bucks a month at the neighborhood gym. Thanks guys.

Amazing Book.......2004-08-25

MouseDriver is about two guys who graduate from Wharton with MBAs in 1999 (the heart of the internet boom) and start a business manufacturing and selling a computer mouse that looks like the head of a driver golf club, turning down high paying jobs at dotcoms, investment banks, consulting firms etc.

As a small business consultant (Transcendence Consulting, LLC tcllc.net) I can tell you right now that if you are looking to start a busines, buy this book TODAY. It is an amazing look at the entire process of starting a business, from the ability to jump head first, manage yourself during
the highs and lows, deal with self doubt and solve an endless supply of problems. It is an easy read that will take you no time at all to complete.

An unexpected enjoyable truip.......2004-06-01

I was in a book store and I was attracted to the title and the cover color. I picked up the book and read the jacket and I was hooked. I hardly ever buy non-technical books -especially non-fiction. But I was hooked after reading the jacket so I bought the book and assiduously read and enjoyed it. Also I am a Wharton alumnus. I also took classes with Len Lodish.

Eric Ericsson

GO GO GO BUY IT-NOW!.......2004-02-24

Having stumbled accross this book amidst the deluge that is my local book store, i soon realised that i had stumbled accross something very inspirational indeed. As a Business school graduate myself, i was entering this game with a somewhat over-confident approach to business startup! Boy oh boy has this read tought me a thing or three! I don't want to rabble on and on about how good the book is, but i would just like to add one thing. The experiences of John and Kyle (the entrepreneurs) have brought me back down to earth and have re-ignited my creative spark as i am now thinking of ways to avoid getting myself in the dificult situations they often found themselves in . Also of ways i could get in similar positive situations they found themselves in. Oh, just go and buy it, steal it, borrow it from your friend or find a way to get your hands on it-entrepreneurs you will not regret it!

The Mousedriver Chronicles: the True Life Adventures of Two First-time Entrepreneurs

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The Mousedriver Chronicles: the True Life Adventures of Two First-time Entrepreneurs
John Lusk
Manufacturer: Perseus Books Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N76U9A

Book Description

Let's say you're about to hire somebody for a position in your company. Your corporation wants someone who's fearless, charismatic, and full of new ideas. Candidate X is charming, smart, and has all the right answers to your questions. Problem solved, right? Maybe not.

We'd like to think that if we met someone who was completely without conscience -- someone who was capable of doing anything at all if it served his or her purposes -- we would recognize it. In popular culture, the image of the psychopath is of someone like Hannibal Lecter or the BTK Killer. But in reality, many psychopaths just want money, or power, or fame, or simply a nice car. Where do these psychopaths go? Often, it's to the corporate world.

Researchers Paul Babiak and Robert Hare have long studied psychopaths. Hare, the author of Without Conscience, is a world-renowned expert on psychopathy, and Babiak is an industrial-organizational psychologist. Recently the two came together to study how psychopaths operate in corporations, and the results were surprising. They found that it's exactly the modern, open, more flexible corporate world, in which high risks can equal high profits, that attracts psychopaths. They may enter as rising stars and corporate saviors, but all too soon they're abusing the trust of colleagues, manipulating supervisors, and leaving the workplace in shambles.

Snakes in Suits is a compelling, frightening, and scientifically sound look at exactly how psychopaths work in the corporate environment: what kind of companies attract them, how they negotiate the hiring process, and how they function day by day. You'll learn how they apply their "instinctive" manipulation techniques -- assessing potential targets, controlling influential victims, and abandoning those no longer useful -- to business processes such as hiring, political command and control, and executive succession, all while hiding within the corporate culture. It's a must read for anyone in the business world, because whatever level you're at, you'll learn the subtle warning signs of psychopathic behavior and be able to protect yourself and your company -- before it's too late.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent read.......2007-10-02

This is an outstanding book. One of the pieces of advice, however, is not to engage. This is easy if they do not suspect that you are 'on to them'. If they do, then they will up the ante while they try to woo you with a whole lot of sweetners that you dont need. If you ignore these they will then come after you with their friends and continue to harass you. Ignore them again and they will start to bad mouth you in a big way.

new era-Dr. Ken Rabac, Phd-PsyD.......2007-09-10

Robert Hare has introduced a new era in our study of psychopaths by coauthoring a recent book dealing with these malevolent manipulators in daily life. Until this publication, Hare had regarded psychopaths mainly from a criminology perspective. In deference to Hare, recognized by consensus as the foremost authority on the disorder, books like Babiak's had to go out on a limb, or use the term sociopath. We are in a new era with Hare's expanded scope, and a new series of books like Babiak's can be expected. However, his will be regarded as a "ground breaker" and will set the tone for subsequent work. It is brilliantly conceived, written and realized.

A Much-Needed Warning.......2007-06-22

Psychopaths are ruthless, cunning, and conscienceless egotists. They will sell out their own mother in their quest for power. And yet they are loved and admired by many. How can we reconcile this contradiction?

Babiak and Hare demonstrate that psychopaths are masters of adopting a "mask of sanity" (a term coined by Hervey Cleckley in his masterpiece, "The Mask of Sanity"); that is they are extremely effective at impression management. They are con artists who can fool even the experts, donning whatever persona is needed to manipulate their victims.

If you can be of value to the social striving of a subclinical psychopath, you can bet that he will convince you of his good intentions, his honour, his kind nature, etc. But it is a lie. He is simply using you.

"Snakes in Suits" examines psychopaths in the corporate workplace: how to spot them and how to deal with them. But its lessons are applicable to a bigger picture. The moral relativism inherent in our Capitalist system is the perfect opening for opportunistic psychopaths to rise to the top.

And as the authors show, this can never be a good thing. Psychopaths are untalented narcissists who profit only on the work of others. And in a political environment, this can be disastrous. Witness, for example, the historical phenomena of Nazism and Stalinism, systems of government in which psychopaths occupied all positions of authority.

Without a general understanding of the reality of psychopathy, they will continue to operate freely, causing misery and suffering for their victims (more numerous by the day). "Snakes in Suits" should be read along with Lobaczewski's "Political Ponerology" (Political Ponerology (A Science on the Nature of Evil Adjusted for Political Purposes)), an analysis of systems of government in which psychopaths rule. Both books contain information urgently needed not only by ordinary citizens, but by anyone in a leadership position.

Necessary self-defense for organizations & employees.......2007-03-07

I don't usually recommend books that fall into the "Business," "Popular Psychology" or "Self-help" categories, but I believe this book is a must-read for anyone in business. (Read it before you start any new job, and remember its lessons.)

I'm not a mental health professional or scholar, so I can't say whether the characterization of "psychopath" is accurate; in my understanding, the more accurate term is "sociopath," unless actual physical violence or criminality is involved, but the definition is for those in the field to dispute or determine. Besides, in the absence of conscience, I would guess it's a slippery slope from the one to the other.

What I like most about this book is that it isn't merely focused on case studies, or on the havoc these personalities can wreak on their individual victims. Yes, the Ah-ha! moments when you finally recognize the manipulator and his/her tactics can be comforting, and it's great to finally see through these snakes' distortions of reality. However, the real contribution of this book, I contend, is that it addresses the collateral damage these monsters can do within an organization: crushing overall employee morale, eroding confidence in the company's internal ethics, and ultimately diminishing employee performance and retention of good "talent." (HR professionals, take note.)

I also appreciated that the authors don't give "band-aid" solutions to the victims. In my own case, after reading this book and assessing the damage done me by a snake in my sphere at a corporation I had loved working for, I sadly realized that the time had come to cut my losses and reinvent my professional life elsewhere. If I had read the book earlier on, I might not have fallen prey to his/her reptile tactics in the first place, but at least this book prevented me from rationalizing and deluding myself that goodness would prevail and that I could reverse the damage.

So yes, this book is a useful reference for those in contact with corporate snakes, but it is thankfully not a clichéd working manual. I appreciate that it is able to raise the profound ramifications of allowing these manipulators to spawn in an organization, and that it is analytical enough to go beyond the individual anecdotes to show the broader damage that ignoring or sheltering these creatures can effect.

Lastly, it's a fascinating read.... highly recommended.

Advice for when they leave home.......2007-03-06

Until you have had a working or personal relationship with a pyschopath you can not fully appreciate this material in this book. Any form of personal involvement with these types of people is unique and an unforgettable experience. Imagine what it may be like to encounter someone with no forthought of anyone but their own benefit, this person will act so without any regard of how their actions may impact anyone else. A psychopath is incapable of considering anyone else in life. Learning how to cope, and deal with their actions will aide you greatly in surviving your encounter with this type of person.

Babiak does an excellent job of describing different types of psychopaths and their different actions. He does a wonderful job chapter after chapter describing scenarios in which a psychopath destroys the organization they work within, taking out other employees, and sometimes even the business itself. Seeing these different examples is key in understanding the motivation of this type of person. Before you can formulate a plan of action, you need to know the type of person you are dealing with.

Babiak starts the book with describing the characteristics of a psychopath. It is very important to identify this type of person, and to seperate it out from someone who has a few bad characteristics. I like that he spends time in checklists, and going over how this type of person may look like. It is important to remember this person above all is generally very charismatic, and will tend to win others over.

Paul Babiak then gives example after example of how actions of this type of person can destroy an organization and/or business. He gives warning signs to look for, and suggests your plan of action is to eliminate this person from your team, or to make sure they are moved to ineffective roles where they can do little or no damage.

This book is invaluable in additional information about psychopaths. Other books about psychopaths tend to range in personal relationships, where your with that person one on one. Unforunately, many of these people also work, and they do not change their personality when they leave the home to earn their living. If you think you may be involved a working relationship with one of these people, read this book, and decide what you should do next.

Book Description

Soil remains one of the most important, yet most abused, natural resources on the planet. Responsible management of soil and associated water resources plays a critical role in the survival and prosperity of many nations around the world.Principles and Practice of Soil Science, Fourth Edition provides a current and comprehensive introduction to soil science for students in the fields of environmental and agricultural science, ecology, soil and land management, natural resource management and environmental engineering. The text focuses on the fundamental concepts of how soils function and how this functioning is vital to productive and environmentally benign soil use.The Fourth Edition of this classic text includes:Fully updated coverage of all the major aspects of soil science, from the soil habitat to processes in the soil environment and management for sustainable production.Discussion of soil management and environmental impacts.Emphasis on the applications of soil science to the solution of practical problems in soil and land management.Real world examples drawn from the author 's international experience in the field.A thoroughly updated art package, with new colour photographs and diagrams to help students visualize key concepts.New problem sets at the end of each chapter, designed to reinforce important principles. An answer key is provided at the end of the text.Although designed primarily for students, Principles and Practice of Soil Science, Fourth Edition is also an accessible reference for professional soil scientists, agronomists, ecologists, geomorphologists, engineers and land managers.

Principles and Practice of Soil Science: The Soil As a Natural Resource

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Principles and Practice of Soil Science: The Soil As a Natural Resource
R. E. White
Manufacturer: Blackwell Science
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Principles and Practice of Soil Science: Soil As a Natural Resource

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Principles and Practice of Soil Science: Soil As a Natural Resource
R. E. White , and R. E. Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Soil Scie White
Manufacturer: Blackwell Science
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Soil Science | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

Alan Kazdin, a well-known and highly respected researcher in behavior modification, offers a scholarly, thoroughly contemporary look at behavior modification principles and their application in clinical, home, school, and work settings. By including both applied research and clinical intervention techniques, Kazdin's text provides a balance between research and practice. The new edition is now written in a more conversational style and offers an expanded "how to" focus, giving students opportunities to practice the principles.

Customer Reviews:

Review on Psych Book.......2007-02-21

I received my book on time and it was in great condition

Good as a Textbook but not for the Casual Reader.......2002-07-03

This was our textbook for the Psychology of Behavior Modification. While I feel it was invaluable for the classroom setting, there are better books out there to explain what exactly B-Mod is to the layman.

Kazdin uses the state-of-the-art B-mod lingo. The only thing he never made clear enough was his comparisons of positive/negative reinforcement and positive/negative punishment. This section had to be clarified by our instructor, who himself said that Kazdin confused him, and our instructor is a behaviorist.

The text contains many chart and graph illustrations that help you to understand the progress of the interventions explained in the text. However, I felt that there were too few intervention examples in the book, and the actual nuts-and-bolts "how-to" of a behavioral intervention were never given. Our instructor had to break that down for us.

All in all, it's the best of a sad lot of B-mod texts out there, but if you aren't a psychologist or a psych student, you'll find this one a tough read.

This book is a classic.......2000-04-01

Kazdin's treatment of Behavior Modification in Applied Settings is comprehensive and lucid. It is extremly helpful for teaching behavior therapy to graduate students in clincal and school psychology. I strongly recommend this book to anyone involved in the process of promoting therapeutic change or teaching therapists to be effective agents for change.

Behavior Modification in Rehabilitation Settings: Applied Principles

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Behavior Modification in Rehabilitation Settings: Applied Principles
John G. & Hardy, Richard E Cull
Manufacturer: Springfield, IL
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MTKDJW

Behavior Modification in Rehabilitation Settings;: Applied Principles (American lecture series, publication no. 949. A publication in the Bannerstone division ... in social and rehabilitation psychology)

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Behavior Modification in Rehabilitation Settings;: Applied Principles (American lecture series, publication no. 949. A publication in the Bannerstone division ... in social and rehabilitation psychology)
John G Cull
Manufacturer: Thomas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Behavior Modifications in Applied Settings

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Behavior Modifications in Applied Settings

Manufacturer: The Dorsey Press/ Homewood IL
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 025601681X

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IN APPLIED SETTINGS

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BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IN APPLIED SETTINGS
Alan E. Kazdin
Manufacturer: Irwin-Dorsey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQB4I2

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