Upstarts!: How GenY Entrepreneurs Are Rocking the World of Business and 8 Ways You Can Profit from Their Success

Theyre young, theyre brash, theyre smartand theyre 77-million strong.

Generation Y is creating startups at an unprecedented rate, and their approach to business is unlike anything youve seen. The generation described by the media as spoiled, entitled, even narcissistic, is proving these notions false every day. Inspired by the rock-star entrepreneurs of previous generations and driven by a burning desire to control their own destinies, GenY is rewriting the entrepreneurial playbook one cool startup at a time.

Inc. magazine writer Donna Fenn interviewed more than 150 young CEOs to learn what makes them tick. While upstarts are motivated by similar aspirations of past generations, their way of doing business is radically differentand its changing the way everyone must do business now.

Upstarts examines and analyzes this entrepreneurial revolution to reveal eight critical lessons every entrepreneur and marketer must learn. Fenn describes a generation of entrepreneurs that is highly collaborative and team-oriented. Its quick and alert when it comes to new technologies. Its hell-bent on changing the world. And its totally impatient with outmoded business models.

The sooner you adapt to the new way of business, the greater chance you have to grow and profit in the years ahead. Upstarts provides key insight into:

• Building collaborative tribes
• Deploying technology to your competitive advantage
• Disrupting the status quo
• Deconstructing the GenY market
• Generating branding buzz
• Adopting a social mission
• Inventing the workplace of the future
• Reinventing your company

Misreading GenY companies could be the biggest business mistake you ever make. This forward-looking book serves both as a headsup to the far-reaching changes coming your way and as a detailed guide to meeting the resulting challenges.

The upstarts are here to stay. Are you?

They're young, they're brash, they're smart--and they're77-million strong.

Generation Y is creating startups at anunprecedented rate, and their approach tobusiness is unlike anything you've seen.The generation described by the mediaas spoiled, entitled, even narcissistic, is provingthese notions false every day. Inspiredby the rock-star entrepreneurs of previousgenerations and driven by a burning desireto control their own destinies, GenY is rewritingthe entrepreneurial playbook one coolstartup at a time.

Inc. magazine writer Donna Fenn interviewedmore than 150 young CEOs to learnwhat makes them tick. While upstarts aremotivated by similar aspirations of pastgenerations, their way of doing business isradically different--and it's changing the wayeveryone must do business now.

Upstarts examinesand analyzes this entrepreneurialrevolution to reveal eight critical lessons everyentrepreneur and marketer must learn.Fenn describes a generation of entrepreneursthat is highly collaborative and team-oriented.It's quick and alert when it comes tonew technologies. It's hell-bent on changingthe world. And it's totally impatient with outmodedbusiness models.

The sooner you adapt to the new way ofbusiness, the greater chance you have togrow and profit in the years ahead. Upstartsprovides key insight into: Building collaborative tribesDeploying technology to yourcompetitive advantageDisrupting the status quoDeconstructing the GenY marketGenerating branding buzzAdopting a social missionInventing the workplace of the futureReinventing your company

Misreading GenY companies could be thebiggest business mistake you ever make. Thisforward-looking book serves both as a headsupto the far-reaching changes coming yourway and as a detailed guide to meeting theresulting challenges.

The upstarts are here to stay. Are you?

8 CRITICAL BUSINESS LESSONS FROM THE NEW ENTREPRENEURS

“One of the richest veins in startup gold is GenY entrepreneurs. Fenn deconstructs the DNA of this collaborative, tech-savvy generation to illuminate the future of entrepreneurship.”

Guy Kawasaki, cofounder, Alltop, and author of Reality Check

“If your business is stuck in old-school ways of thinking, this book will bring new perspective and insight on how a whole new class of upstarts are thinking!”

Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos

“In this smart, timely book, Donna Fenn shows us how Generation Yprobably the most entrepreneurial generation everis radically remaking the business world in its own image, one innovative startup company at a time.”

Jane Berentson, editor, Inc. magazine

“This book will make you feel confident. Confident in the fact that Generation Y has the tools, creativity, desire, passion, energy and smarts to keep this great nation in a position of leadership economically for decades to come.”

Harry Paul, coauthor of FISH! and Instant Turnaround!

“This book will change your perception of millennials and by the time youre finished reading it, youll either want to work for one, partner with one, or be that age again.”

Dan Schawbel, author of Me 2.0

Donna Fenn is the author of Alpha Dogs: How Your Small Business Can Become a Leader of the Pack and a contributing writer at Inc. magazine. An expert on small business trends and entrepreneurship for more than 20 years, she is also a community leader on Work.com, a featured expert on SBTV.com, and a blogger on Inc.com. She lives in Pelham, NY, with her husband, Guian Heintzen, and is the proud mom of two GenYers. For more information, go to Upstarts.com.

Introduction: The Upstarts are Coming!

Generation Y is creating an entrepreneurial revolution

Chapter One: Extreme Collaboration

The most collaborative generation in history uses cooperation to compete

Chapter Two: Its All Geek to Me

Technology is the great enabler, and the best differentiator

Chapter Three: The Next Top Model

Status quo is a no go; alternative business models rule.

Chapter Four: Talkin ‘Bout My Generation

Insider market intelligence gives Upstarts a leg up

Chapter Five: Brand New World

Upstarts go where no brand has gone before

Chapter Six: Good Equals Great

Capitalism and social mission make a lovely couple

Chapter Seven: The Future of Work

Upstart companies are dynamic, flexible, demanding, meritocratic, fun, and participative

Chapter Eight: Morphing, Scaling, and Growing Up

How Upstarts companies evolve, grow, and raise the bar