All In Startup: Launching a New Idea When Everything Is on the Line

Owen has been chasing his dream of a successful startup for more than a year, but now his dreams and, not coincidentally, his marriage, are on the rocks. A friend’s gift of a ticket to the World Series of Poker is an unusual, but welcome, distraction from his troubles. While in Vegas, he meets a beautiful, successful entrepreneur who takes him under her wing. As the poker hands increase in value and intensity, Owen realizes the direct parallels to his own business venture, using the lessons from the one to succeed in the other.

I ended up enjoying the story and appreciated the parallelism between high-stakes poker and starting a new business. The book is fun to read, with important points highlighted, but made memorable, with supporting events in Owen’s life. The author takes life concerns seriously, obviously understanding the stresses that come with entrepreneurism, and points out the most common problems in a common-sense, self-evident way that proves her point. It is an engaging teaching style; couched in such a diverting, interesting story, the lessons won’t soon be forgotten. Author Diana Kander shows that luck actually has little to do with launching a successful business in this entertaining look at entrepreneurship.