Books published by Inc. Original

A true entrepreneur always looks to the future, no matter what is bearing down—9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Great Recession, or the BP oil spill.With wit, hard work, guts, and a few cold beers, Jeff O’Hara and his businesses battled, bounced back, and survived these disasters, and we are the beneficiaries of the lessons learned along the way. But O’Hara’s lessons are no dry list of rules on entrepreneurism: This first-time author is a gifted storyteller with an edgy, one-of-a-kind sense of humor who informs and entertains with tales of the tragic, the triumphant, and the places and people only New Orleans can produce. Accounts of O’Hara’s life as he earned his place in the hospitality industry deliver colorful, honest insights into just what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur. It’s clear he loves what he does and that his successes are a result of his love for his trade, his independent spirit, and, of course, a commitment to overcoming anything that gets in his way. O’Hara’s wisdom will inspire entrepreneurs and anyone who appreciates a great story—from New Orleans natives to the rest of us who are fascinated by the life of this great city.

Your Sales Funnel Has a Fatal Flaw The sales funnel was invented over a century ago. No wonder it's not working like it used to! How can you drive companyrevenue in an age when customers hold all the power, the lines between sales and marketing have blurred, and business disruption is the norm? From the authors of Fire Your Sales Team Today! comes another industry redefining guide to business success in the21st century: Smash the Funnel. Discover how to create an entirely newrevenue strategy, whether your buyer is a corporation or consumer, an enterprise or entrepreneur.

Americans enjoy the finest healthcare delivery system in the world, but most people will tell you that we still have a long way to go. Far too frequently, patients leave the doctor's office or hospital feeling confused, angry, or neglected. Healthcare leaders recognize this problem, but in their focus on patients (and sometimes financials), they often overlook the true key to lasting patient loyalty and satisfaction: their employees.  Patients Come Second shakes up the traditional healthcare model, arguing that in order to care for and retain patients, leaders must first create exceptional teams and find ways to engage nurses, administrative staff, physicians, supervisors, and even housekeeping staff and switchboard operators. By connecting employees' work with a higher purpose and equipping them with the tools to become leaders themselves, patient care can be dramatically transformed. And with continuing healthcare changes on the horizon and ever-rising pressure to acquire and keep patients, doing so now is more important than ever.  Britt Berrett, president of an 898-bed hospital, and Paul Spiegelman, founder and CEO of a successful patient-experience company, are the perfect guides to the changes needed in healthcare leadership. With a rich combined experience in their field, they have filled each chapter with an abundance of engaging, insightful stories and write with a humor and friendliness that balances and enhances the urgency of their message.

Is it possible for entrepreneurs to succeed at growing ventures without early-stage venture capital? Based on the fact that more than 9 out of 10 of America's billion-dollar entrepreneurs did take off without early-stage VC, Dileep Rao says YES!In Nothing Ventured, Everything Gained, Dileep Rao shatters the dominant myth that entrepreneurs need early-stage venture capital to build a giant business. In fact, says Rao, by avoiding or even delaying VC, billion-dollar entrepreneurs can control their companies and the wealth created by them-and retain more of that wealth. The book is based on 30 of Rao's interviews with billion-dollar entrepreneurs (BDEs) and hundred-million-dollar entrepreneurs (HMDEs) and the analysis of the strategies of 85 BDEs. The author introduces the finance-smart skills, opportunity secrets, and strategy secrets of BDEs who took off without VC, and proves his points via stories of successful giants like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs.Every entrepreneur will do well to read and benefit from Rao's invaluable insights and expertise.Dileep Rao, PhD, financed the growth of hundreds of businesses and real estate projects over the twenty-three years he was VP of financing and business development at a venture development and finance institution. He advises entrepreneurs, governments, Fortune 1000 corporations, and financial institutions on building big businesses with finance-smart strategies. Dr. Rao is a clinical professor of entrepreneurship at Florida International University and has taught at Stanford University, the University of Minnesota, and in executive MBA programs in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Where are you in your business journey?Most entrepreneurs are looking for ways to push their companies to grow and get bigger. But they struggle with decisions about how big they want to become, how much money to keep investing in their company, and how to even go about it. They want more, but they’re not sure how to think about the problems, obligations, and risk that come with growth. This is the growth dilemma.In The Growth Dilemma, Ami Kassar, author and nationally renowned expert on access to capital for entrepreneurs, shows you how to sort through your choices to build your business to the size and complexity that makes the most sense for you. He’ll walk you through exercises that help you:•    Answer the crucial million-dollar question•    Figure out what entrepreneurial stage you’re in•    Determine your personal risk profile•    Identify your own growth aspirationsKnowing these parts of your puzzle will not only influence how you think about your growth dilemma but also allow you to discover your financing comfort zone. Through the profiles of fifteen real entrepreneurs and companies, you’ll also be able to see, throughout the book, examples of how different financing decisions affect every kind of business. As you apply the strategies you learn, you’ll find the financing structure that will help you reach your goals.