Synopses & Reviews
Just being good at what you do doesn’t cut it anymore. Today’s information fueled economy rewards a new breed of worker—those who can think differently, move faster, and attain a level of knowledge that tilts the field of play in their favor. In
Shortcut to Prosperity, Mark Hopkins explains how to develop those habits—not only for career success, but also for a more fulfilling and exciting life. He’ll show you how to
• Do the soul searching required to find your passion
• Harness hardship or personal vision to engage a lifelong Prosperity Cycle that builds on one success after another
• Put in the hours with the right organizations to develop a differentiating level of competence
• Exploit your natural curiosity and expand your field of vision to spot opportunities others miss, the most important entrepreneurial habit
• Develop partners, guides, and mentors to help you along the way
However you define prosperity, Mark can help you find your field of play, develop a competitive advantage, and recruit allies.
Through stories of inspiring people—some entrepreneurs, some not—Mark reinforces the book’s message: you don’t have to be a genius or lucky to have the exact career and life you want. By sharing the habits of success and simple strategies for integrating them into your life, Mark will help you map your own shortcut to prosperity.
Review
“Mark Hopkins’ shortcuts are proven techniques to identify your strengths as you build your own competitive advantage—they are easy to read, comprehend, and DO. It is a wonderful compilation, describing how inspiration and perspiration can build success.”
—James Ellis, dean, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California
Review
“Mark Hopkins nails it by incorporating great stories of average people who have achieved prosperity. Each story underscores a key step on the path toward identifying and pursuing the career and life you envision. Don’t miss this book!”
—Jason Jennings, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of It’s Not the Big That Eat the Small, It’s the Fast That Eat the Slow and The Reinventors
Review
“Mark Hopkins has captured the magic of great entrepreneurship and boiled it down in 10 practical ‘shortcuts.’ The power of his approach is masked by the clarity and simplicity with which he presents it. Shortcut to Prosperity is a masterful blueprint to a more effective and richer life. I wish I had read it as I launched my company!”
—Zack Neumeyer, chairman, Sage Hospitality
Review
“Shortcut to Prosperity offers the reader a rare combination of original stories, challenging exercises, and useful chapter summaries. It is written in the authoritative and gritty voice of a successful leader who has made this journey himself.”
—Geoff Smart, PhD; CEO, ghSMART; and author of the New York Times bestsellers Who and Leadocracy
Review
“Whether you want to move up the corporate ladder or make it on your own, Shortcut to Prosperity is your success bible.”
—Tommy Spaulding, author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller It’s Not Just Who You Know
Review
“I have spent my career preparing young people to succeed in an increasingly challenging global economy. Shortcut to Prosperity does a wonderful job compiling a timeless set of recommendations that will give readers a huge head start.”
—John Box, PhD, senior vice president, education (retired), Junior Achievement Worldwide
Review
“In the words of Seneca, the Roman philosopher, ‘luck is when preparation meets opportunity.’ Mark Hopkins shows in a powerful and practical way how you can make your own luck, and be happier, healthier, and more successful as a result.”
—Robert Halperin, executive director, MIT Center for Collective Intelligence, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Review
“Success in today’s hyper-competitive world is all about differentiating yourself and adding value. Shortcut to Prosperity shows you how.”
—Keith McFarland, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Breakthrough Company and Bounce
Review
“Mark Hopkins accomplishes a rare feat in Shortcut to Prosperity, meting out practical how-to wisdom right alongside earnest encouragement. Those looking to capitalize on their innate strengths and live a more energized life should read this book.”
—Aaron Kennedy, founder and former CEO, Noodles and Company
Review
“For those unwilling to settle, Shortcut to Prosperity provides a game changing roadmap for personal and business success.”
—David Prokupek, chairman and CEO of Smashburger, voted #1 most promising company by Forbes Magazine
Review
“I recommend this book to anyone at any point in their career trajectory. It is a wonderful tool for evaluating where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there.”
—Katherine Gold, president, Goldbug
Review
“ 'How often is the status quo really what you want?’ A challenging question from provocative author, Mark Hopkins. He presents a life-changing manifesto for navigating the path to prosperity. Whether you are early in your career or later in life, Mark’s probing questions and insightful guidance will help you find your path.”
—Tom Joyce, executive vice president, Danaher Corporation
Review
“After finishing Shortcut to Prosperity, you'll do things differently—and better. Make time to read this book.”
—Jimmy Calano, cofounder and retired CEO, CareerTrack
Review
“Mark Hopkins reminds us how important it is to spend your time doing something you’re passionate about, and how easy it can be to turn that passion into prosperity.”
—Mike Fries, president and CEO, Liberty Global
Review
“Mark Hopkins clearly articulates core concepts I use every day that are the fundamental building blocks to a rich and rewarding life.”
—Tim Miller, CEO, Rally Software
Review
“Shortcut to Prosperity takes years of successful entrepreneurship experience and condenses it into a very easy-to-read format with great actionable steps. I recommend it to all my students and clients.”
—John M. Torrens, PhD, professor of entrepreneurship, Syracuse University
Review
“Shortcut to Prosperity provides young people clarity on the values to embrace and the habits to develop to excel in their careers and their personal lives. I highly recommended this book to my son and to anyone else who wishes to live a meaningful life.”
—Chris Crane, founder, president, and CEO, Edify
Review
“Successful entrepreneurs aren’t created by happenstance; they learn from others, look within, develop their raw potential, and create their own pathway to prosperity. Mark Hopkins shows the way.”
—Nathan Thompson, founder and CEO, Spectra Logic
Review
“Entrepreneurs are different. We recognize that there isn’t just the answer at the back of the textbook. We’re all about finding the path of least resistance to help us grow our companies faster, easier, and more profitably. Mark’s book will help give you a few more shortcuts to make this happen.”
—Cameron Herold, former COO, 1-800-GOT-JUNK; serial entrepreneur; and author of Double Double
Synopsis
Ten differentiating behaviors that will bring you career and personal success
Synopsis
What every successful entrepreneur knows about having it all that everybody else should know
A kick-in-the-pants guide that showcases the ten behaviors that spell success: At a time when entrepreneurism resonates with a broad audience, Shortcut to Prosperity offers pragmatic advice to help people achieve anything they want. Successful entrepreneur Mark Hopkins walks readers through the process of indulging their curiosity; building creative tension by assessing their current reality and developing a definition of prosperity; becoming an entrepreneurial actuary to spot and analyze opportunities; and partnering wisely to foster supportive relationships. With a strong focus on career paired with a holistic view of work and life, Hopkins will help readers leverage their strengths to create a fun and fulfilling future.
Engaging storytelling, compelling ideas: Hopkins tells the stories of a number of average people who found exceptional success—not all of whom are entrepreneurs. Through an exploration of the struggles they overcame and the innovative techniques they used to get what they wanted in their careers and lives, the author arrives at deep insights and offers sound encouragement.
A built-in audience of those who value entrepreneurial ideas: The author has a natural audience for his message not least because of his leadership positions with organizations like Young Presidents’ Organization and his connections with organizations like Junior Achievement.
About the Author
Mark Hopkins earned engineering degrees from Cornell and Stanford then spent the next twenty-five years deciphering the factors that make some people prosperous, successful, and happy. In 1996, after building a leadership career with companies like Hewlett Packard and Emerson Electric, Mark founded Peak Industries, a medical device contract manufacturer, which he grew and later sold to Delphi. He then founded Crescendo Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and Catalyst, a private foundation focused on supporting Colorado-based nonprofits and microlending in the developing world.