Lead from the Core

Jay Steinfeld won Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year award and founded Blinds.com, which Home Depot later acquired. He never intended to build what became the largest online window blind seller anywhere.

The path there was rough. Steinfeld faced acquisitions that fell through, partnerships that turned sour, and a persistent struggle with self-doubt. He also lost family members, ran marketing campaigns on a tight budget, sold to larger corporate owners, and competed in a brutal market, where he shook up established players including Amazon and the big-box chains.

His central argument is that dreaming about a meaningful company is not enough. The book presents what he calls the Four Es, guiding principles for getting past any obstacle to an organization's success: Evolve Continuously, Experiment Without Fear of Failure, Express Yourself, and Enjoy the Ride. It also offers practical methods for launching a business with little money or experience, avoiding the early failures that sink many startups, growing beyond the startup phase, communicating effectively with boards and investors, and making the company attractive to potential buyers.

Written with humor and heart, the book is aimed at leaders at any stage of their careers who want to avoid expensive business mistakes.