A Deliberate Pause: Entrepreneurship and its Moment in Human Progress

by Larry Robertson

Overview

A deliberate pause is a conscious moment in which we open our minds and ask “why are things the way they are?” and wonder “how could life be better?” Pausing to ask such questions is a natural and uniquely human inclination. It’s also the critical factor that sparks fresh ideas and is seized by entrepreneurs to catalyze seismic changes—ones that allow humanity to progress.

A Deliberate Pause (the book) reveals the power of a deliberate pause (the action) while unveiling unexpected truths about entrepreneurship itself. Through example, exploration, and analysis of the innovative thoughts and achievements of more than 200 seasoned entrepreneurial leaders, Larry Robertson shows how each of us can adopt a deliberate pause and an entrepreneurial mindset to better our lives, our species, and our world. In the process, he gives us the understanding of entrepreneurship we’ve been missing—and need now more than ever.

A winner of six prestigious book awards including the International Book Award 2011 (Leadership) and Finalist Awards for both Book of the Year 2010 (Entrepreneurship) and Best Books 2010 (Entrepreneurship), A Deliberate Pause is, as MSNBC Your Business Host JJ Ramberg put it, "not a book of the moment but a must read for newcomers to the topic and seasoned veterans alike and a resource you'll want to highlight, dog-ear, and return to many times over.” It educates, informs, entertains, and presents new value and new lessons with each return of the reader to its easy to read but deeply thoughtful style.

The power of entrepreneurship isn’t limited to the few—every one of us has the opportunity to tap it. It is, as Nobel Peace Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus put it, “in every human being and in everything human.”

The many contributors to A Deliberate Pause bring to life the truth in Dr. Yunus’ statement. You will discover people, stories, and ideas you can relate to within these pages that will spark or support your own entrepreneurial spirit. The more than 200 people who shared their perspectives include:

• Caren DeWitt Merrick, Co-founder, webMethods
• Muhammad Yunus, Founder, Grameen Bank
• Bill Drayton, Founder, Ashoka
• Carter Cast, Co-founder, CEO, walmart.com
• Richard Tait, Co-founder, Cranium
• Peter Senge, Author, The Fifth Discipline
• Esther Dyson, Founder, Edventures
• Dipak Jain, Dean, Kellogg School of Management
• Bill Shore, Founder, Share Our Strength
• Rob McGovern, Founder, CareerBuilder
• Sandy Robertson, Founder, Robertson, Stephens & Company
• Jeff Sandefer, Co-founder, Acton MBA
• Verne Harnish, Founder, Young Entrepreneurs Organization
• Alice Waters, Founder, The Edible Schoolyard
• Steve Mariotti, Founder, National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship
• Dan Pink, Author, A Whole New Mind
• Gene Kahn, Founder, Cascadian Farms
• Guy Kawasaki, Author, The Art of the Start
• Robin Chase, Co-founder, Zipcar
• Tom Szaky, Co-founder, TerraCycle
• Patrick Von Bargen, Executive, Kaufmann Foundation
• Wayne Silby, Founder, Calvert Funds
• Peter Seligmann, Co-founder, Conservation International
• Michael Chasen, Co-founder, BlackBoard
• Nell Newman, Co-founder, Newman’s Own Organics

Product Details

BN ID:	2940013152199
Publisher:	Daymark Press
Publication date:	07/27/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	798 KB

About the Author

Larry Robertson is the award-winning author of A Deliberate Pause: Entrepreneurship and its Moment in Human Progress, a book that has received wide acclaim for its unique and insightful look at how entrepreneurship works and for its accessible, actionable guidance as to how all of us can tap this powerful force that enables humanity to progress. He is also the author of the Entrepreneur’s Guide to Raising Private Capital, a unique non-prose guide for entrepreneurs thinking about accessing the angel and venture capital markets.

Beyond his author role, Larry has spent two decades in the entrepreneurial universe in roles ranging from advisor to investor and many in between. In 1992, he founded Lighthouse Consulting, which, appropriately, guides entrepreneurial ventures, their leaders, and those who invest in them. Larry is a recognized expert on entrepreneurship in public, private, and academic forums. He is an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business as well as a frequent lecturer at other universities.

Editorial Reviews

"A Deliberate Pause is an eye-opening read. It's the kind of resource you'll return to time and again, for it offers a smart and useful guide for anyone who wants to think different and turn those thoughts into action."

Daniel Pink