The Authentic Entrepreneur - Kirk, Stephen

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Résumé :
This is a book for authentic entrepreneurs. Those who are not only interested in making money, but also in giving something back and growing, personally, in the process. Told through the stories of twelve entrepreneurs at various stages of their enterprises and with differing aspirations and visions, The Authentic Entrepreneur weaves together the threads of wisdom that will help you to not only build your own business, but build a business that is right for you, right for the world and right for the future, because a business is not just a vehicle for making money, it's a legacy that touches the lives of more people than you can imagine. This is not a business manual - there are plenty of those already. It will fuel your ideas and inspire you to create something bigger than yourself. The interviews broadly cover starting out, staying in a family business, serial entrepreneurialism, raising funds, mentoring, philanthropy, and angel investment. Most importantly, the message from these interviews and of this book is that you can make a difference.

Biographie:
Stephen Kirk has one of the first Computer Science Degrees and has seen the emergence of computer technology from its inception.
Beginning his working career as a Systems Analyst and Computer Programmer, he soon realised he was not cut out for a 'normal' career and chucked it all in to become a meditation teacher only to be struck with a sudden urge to go into business.
At the end of the meditation course, he somehow landed a prestigious European sales role, before branching out and forming Cable London plc which successfully bid for the franchises for five London Boroughs and pioneered interactive capability.
Simultaneously, he founded Broadsystem, which specialised in interactive services for media companies.
Following the sale of Broadsystem to News Corporation, Stephen worked for News for ten years before being diagnosed with and cured of colon cancer in 2000.
Since then, he has undertaken a variety of Non-Executive roles, including being on the Boards of Shine Television and The Ink Factory.
He is a Neuro-Linguistic Programming Master Practitioner, Executive Coach, amateur Blues guitarist, and a genuinely funny guy.
He and his wife Luiza live in Central London but spend many months travelling abroad looking for Paradise. Perhaps one day they'll find it!

Sommaire:
Born into a traditional Jewish family in the fifties, East End of London, and expected to go into the family optical business, Stephen developed an eye phobia that freed him to pursue his own path.Following graduation as a computer scientist from Manchester University, he worked as a computer programmer. Consumed by boredom, he resigned and attended a 4-month Transcendental Meditation (TM) Teacher Training course. On that course, he had an unexpected 'calling' to go into business, despite his lack of relevant experience. Instead, he was inspired by his grandfather, an inventor and semi-professional tap dancer! Needless to say, he only taught TM to a handful of folk yet still retains a keen interest in meditation and spirituality. His 'calling' led him to many adventures in the business world: founding five London cable TV companies, several TV and newspaper competitions using premium rate services for the first time, possibly working for British Intelligence by accident and eventually selling his business to a media mogul.He has been writing short stories for decades and finished Wild Card 20 years ago based on his business adventures though fictional, of course. Stephen lives in Richmond, Surrey with his wife Luiza and together they travel the world inspired by Luiza's wanderlust....