Free book for startups: special offer

(This is offer is closed – thanks for playing)

Are you, or is someone you know, currently working full time at a start-up company? Do you like free copies of bestselling books? Then read on.

I’m trying to learn if anything I said in the art of project management applies well to start-up environments. While some chapters don’t work as well as others, my hypothesis is that much of it holds together for any kind of organization. Decisions, leadership, and chaos are part of all projects, startup or not.

But I want to test the hypothesis instead of pretending I’m right.

I have 5 copies of the book ready to go – if you want one, here’s how you qualify:

1. Leave a comment with your name, or contact me here.
2. Include a link to your start-up’s website. No website, no book.
3. Give me an address to send the book.
4. Swear on your favorite person that you’ll read 4 or more chapters in the next month and send some feedback.

That’s it. I’ll sign each one personally for you and send it on it’s way.
Of couse if you’ve read the book already and work at a start-up, I’d love to hear what you have to say. Depending on what I learn, perhaps there’s an “artofpm for startups” edition in the future.

(This is offer is closed – thanks for playing)

24 Responses to “Free book for startups: special offer”

  1. Muthu Nathan

    This my brother’s address:

    Mukesh Nathan,
    701 University Avenue SE Apt#3,
    Minneapolis, MN 55414

    Reply
  2. Vivek

    Do blogs count as startups :P .. just giving it a shot .. but anyways … would like to tell you that your essays are very well written and true to the heart.. and have helped in quite a few situations .. keep up the excellent work ..

    Reply
  3. Scott (admin)

    Hi Muthu: Hmm. I checked with the judges and they say you can’t write in someone else, even if he looks like you. Unless I don’t get a #5, I’m afraid you’ll have to get your bro to sign up himself. Thanks for playing :)

    Reply
  4. Scott (admin)

    Vivek: Checked with the judges again, and after heated debate they claim that technically a blog can be a startup, but it’s so unlikely to have a viable business model that after they stopped laughing they pelted me with swag from boom era startups like pets.com, and kozmo.com.

    But thanks for saying hi and I’m glad you enjoy the essays – I’ll keep writing.

    Reply
  5. Mal

    You need to get some more positive judges.

    Why isn’t a blog a viable business model?

    I make money from my website, which is just a shuffled blog.

    OK, I make just more than I would get from social security, at the moment. But the only way is up!

    I need a good book on project management methinks.

    If you want to send me a free copy I’ll certainly read it and make comments.

    How do you define a startup? I’m always up to something new. So I’m always starting.

    I’ve just started a blog called “read books online free”, so I’ll tell people all about you, if you send me a copy.

    Reply
  6. Pablo

    Hi Scott,

    I’m Pablo López. You recently left a comment on my blog at http://betawriting.blogspot.com

    I’ve read your last post about your great book, so here I am, asking for a copy :)

    We started a company in late 2005, our website is:

    http://www.warp.es/en (English site)

    You can find ourselves here:

    http://people.warp.es

    I knew of your book since you released it, cause I try to keep up-to-date in terms of project management. I’ve read the free chapters but unfortunately we haven’t bought your book yet, althought I added it to our “to-buy” list at our wiki a long time ago (we’ve just started and we have to pay a lot bills).

    I think this would be a great opportunity for us to get the book.

    Our address is:

    Warp Networks S.L. (Pablo López)
    María de Luna 11, Nave 10c
    50018 Zaragoza, Spain

    I promise I’ll read the book and send feedback if you send us a copy :)

    Thanks a lot,

    Pablo.

    Reply
  7. Karol

    http://www.globalsourcing.com.pl – I realize it’s not working very well at the moment :(
    Global Sourcing is a startup my friends and I formed some 2 yeards ago

    My address:
    Karol B?a?ewicz
    Baczy?skiego 7a/1
    80-410 Gda?sk
    Poland

    We’re not a US-based company and the book would require airmail to fly to Europe. I hope this doesn’t disqualify us :D

    Reply
  8. Christian Connett

    My startup is actually a RE-START. My Wife and I have taken full ownership of eSolutions Interactive Group, an Iowa-Based Web Design and Development firm.

    We are building our portfolio, and applying the PMI methodology to our projects. I am VERY interested in your book, as I am a CPM, and would enjoy your views and opening of my eyes!

    Christian Connett, CPM
    eSolutions Interactive Group
    1604 W Detroit Ave
    Suite A
    Indianola, IA 50125-2049
    http://www.esolutionsinteractive.com

    P.S. I would absolutely read at least 4 chapters of your book, and most likely all 392 pages!

    Reply
  9. RMoney

    Scott,

    My Start-up is HireVue.com. We give companies the ability to create a time shifted job interview via a USB plug and play webcam.

    you can contact me at:
    Ryan Money
    1435 East Parkway Ave.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84106

    I swear on my neighbors cat that I will read the whole book!
    Thanks,
    Ryan Money

    Reply
  10. Gibson Tang

    Hi Scott,

    We are a small startup where the office is a renovated storeroom as we can’t afford huge office space with Aeron chairs yet. The office address is

    Nexgen Studio Pte Ltd 179 River Valley Road
    #04-09
    Singapore, Singapore 179033

    I will definitely read 4 chapters of more of your book. I was recently given the book “Rapid Development” written by Steve McConnell which is another great book about software development.

    Reply
  11. Mel

    Drats! I bought the book last week – my start-up is not yet started, so I wouldn’t qualify anyway, but as a PM in the engineering consultancy world (currently), I’ll drop you a line with my comments on it’s applicability to world’s other than software development (not that engineering consultancy is a million miles away anyway – I wouldn’t have bought it if I didn’t think it was going to be relevant…)

    Reply
  12. Scott Sehlhorst

    Scott,

    I am already reading your book, and absolutely love it – thanks for writing it! Tyner Blain just turned 1 year old a month ago, and now I’ve added working to launch a stealth startup – our website goes live July1. Not sure if I qualify. If I do qualify, please consider leaving a copy of your book in your favorite coffee shop with a note saying “free to someone who will use it. please give it to someone else when you’re finished.”

    Either way, thanks for the book, I love your writing style, and the content so far is really helpfull!

    Scott

    Reply
  13. keith bohanna

    hiya Scott

    This would be a great one to read and comment on publically. We launch in June and I am following your email discussion group with interest :-)

    Keith Bohanna
    52 Larchfield
    Kilkenny
    Ireland

    keith

    Reply
  14. Vineet Reynolds

    Darn!!
    Why do I always miss out on these opportunities to get free stuff ?
    I just bought this book a few months back :P

    Must say that this book ranks well above the other reference that I have – Applied Software Project Management.

    I promise to write a review on how this book helped me in the previous job at a startup. Oh never mind, that project bombed big time coz no one listened to me, so I must filter the review :D

    Reply
  15. Matt Wilson

    Hi Scott,

    I’m currently tech lead for TrueClose. We are a startup building a web-based loan origination platform for the mortgage industry. Based on the articles I’ve read here, I know I personally could get a lot out of your book. This is my first experience leading a team of developers. I’d be more than happy to send plenty of feedback.

    Reply
  16. Gabriel

    Hope I am not too late…

    We’ve just launched our software development company Hydrus Software. You can see our site at http://www.hydrussoftware.com. I heard about your book from a friend, and I’d be happy to read and comment on it.

    Please send a copy to
    2550 Corporate Exchange Dr.
    Suite 20
    Columbus, OH 43231

    Thanks!

    Reply
  17. Fabio

    I’m currently working on a new project with my business partner.

    Up until now, I have worked out my project management requirements by using “project templates” and advice from experienced professionals of the field I ventured in. Fact is, I have been told, it’s not useful to reinvent the wheel over and over again.

    However, our current project is so new that we can’t avoid inventing the wheel and I’m a bit lost on how to proceed. The main problem is that, in such new fields, business decisions and new information are more difficult to predict than in other better known fields of activities and could radically change the shape and timing of a project.

    The “Microsoft Project” appproach seems less useful and I’m trying to go back to the theory to develop a bettter project management approach for such a start-up.

    I guess I’m too late for one copy of the book you offer here, but I was anyway going to buy one. I will definetly keep you posted.

    Reply

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