The Entrepreneurs: Success and Sacrifice

What does it really take to become a successful entrepreneur? Just ask those who have succeeded. 'The Entrepreneurs: Success and Sacrifice' is author Kip Marlow’s inspiring new book that gathers the success stories of small business owners who have transformed small businesses into highly lucrative enterprises through vision, persistence, and plenty of sweat. Culled from Marlow’s interviews on his popular radio show, “Entrepreneurs Club Radio,” this highly motivational collection is an invaluable learning tool for anyone who wants to get ahead in their own business. There’s Scott Marincik, the founder of Solv-All cleaning products and services, who went from maxed-out credit cards to revenues in excess of one hundred million dollars. Or John Allin, founder of Snow Management Group and Snow Dragon Snowmelters, who turned the accumulation of snow into a sizable slush fund. Equally impressive is Cathy Horton, founder of Nutek & Renegade Brands, who developed green products that outpaced the leading brands. You’ll also find stirring accounts such as the rags-to-riches tale of Diana Richards, founder of Vacuum Systems International, who went from near homelessness to cleaning up by way of an invaluable service for vacuum maintenance. In The Entrepreneurs, each featured businessperson tells his or her own story about starting and growing their businesses, while sharing the lessons they learned, the strategies they employed, and the secrets of their success. The book also expands upon the art of being flexible and changing when the market changes. In aggregate, these candid profiles paint a vivid picture of the characteristics and habits of the visionary risk-takers who shrug off nay-sayers and embrace the unsure waters of forging new businesses. Now more than ever, start-up companies are the key to a robust American economy. By taking cues from individuals who have overcome lean times, lack of support, and uncharted territory, others who aspire to launch or expand a small business will have the information and inspiration they need to hit the ground running and stay the course until they have turned potential into profit. With clarity, focus, and determination, anyone with a concept and some conviction can join the ranks of the entrepreneurs. Take it from the shining examples celebrated in this indispensable business book: There’s plenty of room at the top! "A retired entrepreneur and business radio show host offers thumbnail profiles of entrepreneurs in an engaging format that makes for light, quick reading. Here the business-owner wannabe will read about 22 self-made men and women who overcame all sorts of odds to build their own successful companies. For instance, Scott Marincek developed an environmentally safe cleaning liquid in his mother’s kitchen, turning it into a $100 million business. Arline Kneen got interested in business in her early 40s and today, at 96, she continues to work as an independent travel consultant. Each of these stories is a little nugget of encouragement for those with a burning desire to strike out on their own. The tales are cautionary as well: Many of the individuals speak candidly about facing widespread skepticism and starting seriously underfunded businesses. The commonality, however, is the entrepreneurs’ passion to pursue their dreams and do whatever it takes to succeed. Readers looking for a do-it-yourself game plan will not find it here; rather, they’ll get a taste of the trials and tribulations of successful people who forged their paths in diverse industries. -Kirkus Indie Review

Author Kip Marlow tried his hand in the corporate world and failed. He then became an entrepreneur, founding Marlow Surgical Technologies, a company that marketed surgical instrumentation, some proprietary, for gynecology. After operating it for twenty-two years, Kip sold it to a NYSE company and retired. When he eventually realized that retirement was quite boring, he reentered the professional world, counseling and mentoring young entrepreneurs. This led to the launch of his radio show, “Entrepreneurs Club Radio” (www.ecrsuccess.com), for which he interviewed hundreds of successful small business owners. He is a graduate of Bowling Green State University and loves minor league baseball and reading business books. The author has three sons, seven grandchildren, and lives in Willoughby, Ohio with his wife Sallie.