The Essential Entrepreneur

A toolkit for entrepreneurial success

In The Essential Entrepreneur, celebrated entrepreneur and business strategist Richard Turner delivers a practical, step-by-step approach to starting and growing a thriving enterprise. If you’re ready to take your fledgling business to the next level—and finally follow that brilliant big idea—this guide covers everything you’ll need to navigate the challenges ahead.

Richard shares straightforward advice and hands-on, real-world lessons outlining the key points you need to know to start and grow your venture. And his lessons are supported by the experience and wisdom of a panel of diverse experts: Tobi Pearce (co-founder of SWEAT), Flavia Tata Nardini (of Fleet Space), Simon Haigh (of Haigh’s Chocolates), and Kirsten Bernhardt (skilled investment manager).

You’ll discover how to:

• Make a splash in your industry by taking advantage of market weaknesses, disrupting the status quo and creating new openings
• Sort the good ideas from the bad: validate your business (whether it’s a product or a service) and maximise its value
• Position your brand so that what you do is clear and instantly recognisable
• Create a business plan that really works, factoring in timing, going to market, managing finance, managing growth and more
• Understand the logistics of a successful and profitable operation, from sourcing suppliers to production, warehousing and distribution

Most small businesses struggle to get moving. This is the book that will help you get ahead in the race. A can’t-miss resource for start-up entrepreneurs and business owners, The Essential Entrepreneur outlines everything you need to know to hit the ground running.

Introduction ix

1 Validating and testing your idea 1

2 Developing a start-up business plan 11

3 Product or service? 27

4 Timing is everything 31

5 Passion, culture and values 39

6 Brand positioning and marketing 49

7 Bringing in those sales 63

8 Sourcing suppliers and manufacturing 73

9 Innovation, re-invention and disruption 83

10 Defining a new market 93

11 Getting investment ready 97

12 Ownership and equity 111

13 Trademarks and patents 125

14 What business am I in? 141

15 Tuning and restructuring 149

16 Managing growth and consistency 155

17 Getting out of business 167

Are entrepreneurs born or made? 173

Acknowledgements 179

Index 181

RICHARD TURNER is a renowned Australian entrepreneur, innovator, and leader of four successful companies across four different industry sectors, including his most recent venture, ZEN Energy. Richard is a former Australian Entrepreneur of the Year, a specialist in re-invention and industry disruption and a mentor to hundreds of early stage and scaling businesses.

‘This book should be on every business owner’s reading list; every time they read it, they will discover something relevant and new.’
Dr Jana Matthews, Founder and Director, Australian Centre for Business Growth

In The Essential Entrepreneur, celebrated entrepreneur and business strategist Richard Turner shares a practical, step-by-step approach to starting and growing a thriving enterprise.

As an entrepreneur, you are going to make some mistakes along the way. Inside, you’ll discover how the author has faced and overcome similar challenges to build multi-million dollar businesses, together with wisdom from an expert panel including: Tobi Pearce (co-founder of SWEAT), Flavia Tata Nardini (of Fleet Space), Simon Haigh (of Haigh’s Chocolates), and Kirsten Bernhardt (skilled investment manager).

Discover how to:

• assess the market for profitable opportunities
• validate your ideas and maximise their value
• create a business plan that really works
• disrupt a market or create your own
• get your business ready for investment, public listing, or sale.

If you’re ready to take your fledgling business to the next level, or to finally follow that brilliant big idea, The Essential Entrepreneur is the business coach you need to get you there.