Rating: 
Summary: A case study in and of itself
Review: Nesheim's book is Nesheim's business. He has written a primer on entrepreneurship, from the VC perspective, and is providing basic information that can be garnered for free from the Internet or any small business development center or university incubator in the country. Among other texts, this one may prove useful in the classroom for the purpose of critical analysis, but it can be misleading to entrepreneurs who need to have a fuller picture. Unimpressive are such entries as: ". . .a famous university study showed that sixty-nine disk drive start-up companies got rolling during the heyday of the personal computer, around 1983. . .(p. 45). Nesheim also takes a VC stance against non-disclosure agreements between VC's and their prospective clients. There are plenty of us in the technology start up business who vehemently disagree. The NDA is a useful tool, not necessarily to protect from infringement as much as to signify good faith. They can be, and have been enforceable as well. Nesheim's book also neglects any discussion of incubators as viable locations in which to begin a business--in spite of his acknowledgement that start up costs and overhead can be tough on new businesses. Again, his lack of understanding of incubation seems to stem from his VC perspective. VC's are more familiar with the more recent 'accelerator' phenomenon of the dot coms--VC portfolios in a building if you will--which lasted all of about 12 months this last year and came crashing with the NASDAQ. Mr. Nesheim has taught one or two online classes via the Internet as a visiting lecturer to Cornell University. He spends most of his time travelling throughout Europe and Asia selling his text and talking to would be entrepreneurs. His text is his product and his Silicon Valley address is what he would call "his unfair advantage", particularly to unsuspecting listeners in foreign lands.
Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read for Every First-Time Entrepreneur
Review: Planning to build a high-tech firm from zero and take it public in less than three years with a market cap of $ 100 M+ ?Read THE BOOK. It gives you all the information you need in a very practical how-to manner and John's advice is absolutely reliable. We use the book on a day-to-day basis and there is even software to plan your financials that can be ordered from the author. And in the odd hours when you don't write the future of your company - your business plan, read Gisela Nesheim's "High Tech Murder" to unwind and get a different picture of Silicon Valley.
Rating:
Summary: A must have
Review: Regardless of where you are in the startup process, this is a must have. It shows its' age, but fundementally, the book is right on. You simply can not afford to not have this book if you are even considering starting a .com company, or if you becoming involved in one. Don't agree with it all, but the fact is, the people you will deal with tend to, so.... In the investment timeline of your company, you can not afford to not have this book. Even negative intelligence has great value. Put a lot of perspective to a number of business situations I have encountered in real life. Trust me. Get it.
Rating: 
Summary: For the special people creating new enterprises.
Review: The current update is filled with Internet era fact and figures, statistics and case studies. It has become a "classic" since its first version. I wrote it to assist individuals seeking to create successful world-class start-ups. I am delighted to get e-mails from around the globe where the book has helped entrepreneurs launch their new enterprises. It is my sincere wish that every attempt succeeds. Learning from each other can contribute to more success and less costly attempts. That is good for all of us. There are additional resources suggested at ... If you wish to share or think I can be of some assistance contact me at jnesheim@earthlink.com.
Rating:
Summary: The classic treatise
Review: The updated version is even better than the original edition, yet all the information that made the original so valuable has been retained. As a source for insider tips and real-world advice for high-tech entrepreneurs, the book is unequaled. The book is crisply and succintly written. Everyone interested in high-tech entrepreneurship should have a copy.
Rating:
Summary: Good startup book
Review: There is no doubt that this book fits the bill. It goes into sufficient details so that the reader understands startups and how they can grow into thriving companies. Notable emphasis is on strategy and making good decisions from day one. I also recommend a useful and well-regarded companion book that would work well as you build a company that needs the full help of its employees during startup: "The Leader's Guide: 15 Essential Skills."
Rating: 
Summary: Think you have what it takes?
Review: Thinking about starting a company? Read this book to find out what it really takes to create a successful high-tech company. This book covers just about every detail and sacrifice you will need to make. A lot of techies aspiring to be the next Bill Gates thought they could start a company based upon the merits of their idea alone, but the facts are it takes a lot more than a good idea to create a successful high tech company. The book outlines the whole process from initial idea to IPO. The book tends to focus on the IPO-Venture model for startups, giving little ink to other methods. The only downside of this book is it was written during the height of the .CON boom, so don't expect to find the magic formula for developing a startup in today's business climate. The information dealing for personnel, legal, IP, and getting VC funding is worth the cover price alone. Overall, this is an extremely informative book and a must read for anyone thinking about starting a company or joining a startup.
Rating:
Summary: Everything I should have known
Review: This book changed the way I view the role of CEO in a start-up. Being a CEO of a start-up is a hard job. You raise money, you find good people, you raise money, you fight fires, you raise more money. This book provides an education for what you need to do to raise initial capital and how your world will change if/when your company reaches an IPO.
Rating:
Summary: Everything I should have known
Review: This book changed the way I view the role of CEO in a start-up. Being a CEO of a start-up is a hard job. You raise money, you find good people, you raise money, you fight fires, you raise more money. This book provides an education for what you need to do to raise initial capital and how your world will change if/when your company reaches an IPO.
Rating: 
Summary: An interesting, but old view of high tech startups
Review: This book had to have been written in 1990 and as a result, the insights are rather dated. If you are looking for a book that will help you start the next Yahoo or Netscape, this is not it. If you are looking for help starting the next Chips & Technology, maybe you should read this. It isn't a bad book and it has some interesting commentary, but the insights the author imparts about the state of the VC world no longer apply.
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