Professor Gregg Fairbrothers, Adjunct Professor of Business Administration at the Tuck School of Business and Director of the Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network (DEN) has published his first book, From Idea to Success, The Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Guide for Start-Ups with Dartmouth College graduate, Tessa Winter ’09. The book offers instruction and advice from hundreds of experienced entrepreneurs who have successfully launched businesses.

Fairbrothers explains, “We wrote this book because we think most people can learn how to be an entrepreneur, no matter what circumstances they find themselves in, or what kind of an organization they’re in. What’s needed are three important things: how to decide if an idea is worthwhile, how to get started executing on it, and how to learn what it will take to make it happen. Building an entrepreneurial business is not only about a great idea, it’s about effective execution of the idea by people committed to creating value.”

The book asks dozens of questions designed to help narrow and sharpen the first-time entrepreneur’s focus. In addition to tactical guidance, the book emphasizes that starting a business requires a mindset that will allow an entrepreneur the flexibility to recover from errors and the ability to think critically about risk. Fairbrothers believes that an entrepreneurial aptitude is a learned life skill that can help anyone to spot opportunity, convince others of their vision and move things forward.

From Idea to Success also features dozens of sidebars from founders, CEOS and investors reflecting on the question, “What I Know Now That I Wish I Had Known Then.” These from-the-trenches observations offer insight into the perils and rewards of taking an idea and making it into something valuable.

DEN is led by its founding director, Gregg Fairbrothers, and has a phenomenal track record launching successful start-ups. DEN was created to help undergrads, faculty and alumni who are connected to Dartmouth though the complicated, challenging process of bringing a concept to market. From perfecting a business plan and pitch, to refining ideas and testing them in the marketplace; from securing capital from investors, and managing the company as it moves from concept to reality, the DEN offers concrete tools for the entrepreneur.

For entrepreneurial advice and pointers, see http://greggfairbrothers.wordpress.com/
 

Founded in 1900, Tuck is the first graduate school of management in the country and consistently ranks among the top business schools worldwide. Tuck remains distinctive among the world's great business schools by combining human scale with global reach, rigorous coursework with experiences requiring teamwork, and valued traditions with innovation.