Business Opportunities Weblog

January 3, 2005 by Dane Carlson | 0 Comments

Amazon: “For anyone looking to spend an hour or so conversing one-on-one with a successful Internet entrepreneur, Peabody has put his end of that conversation in writing. As founder of a startup, Tripod, Inc. — and a reaper of pre-Internet Bubble riches — Peabody graciously provides his thoughts on how and why he’s been so successful. Heartfelt and conversational in tone, his is a very thin book, reflecting both a lack of ego—Peabody will never be mistaken for Donald Trump—and his belief that entrepreneurs possess limited attention spans. Also, he feels they are better off spending their time building their own businesses rather than reading about others’. While Peabody shares advice on avoiding the mistakes that trip up many would-be entrepreneurs—such as having too much faith in their own press—most of his several dozen pages are spent providing examples of the role luck plays in success, and how smart entrepreneurs work to improve their odds. For instance, he puts great stock in surrounding oneself with ‘A’ students for managers while relying heavily on ‘B’ students to drive innovation. With their penchant for provocative declaration—i.e., that a company’s mission is more important than its business model—Peabody’s theories on management aren’t exactly the stuff of a business school curriculum. Which is only appropriate since he also takes a very dim view of the notion that entrepreneurial skills can be taught or acquired. Peabody believes that entrepreneurship is an aptitude one either possesses from birth or never possesses at all. Ultimately, Peabody speaks to a niche market—entrepreneurs willing to accept that there are no magical formulas for success, just the kind of focus, drive and energy that, if one is lucky, occurs at the right time, in the right place.”

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