Lost in Startuplandia: Wayfinding for the Weary Entrepreneur

by E. Keller Fitzsimmons

Entrepreneurship seems like a thrilling, lucrative adventure—until things go horribly wrong. As crisis after crisis hits, even the most seasoned founder can get disoriented. Whether you’re in the throes of business woes or just getting into the game, E. Keller Fitzsimmons has written a field guide outlining the terrain to help you avoid getting Lost in Startuplandia. Keller has been there, done that, starting six businesses over twenty years. In this honest, personal guide, she draws on her trials and triumphs, as well as those of fellow entrepreneurs, to share their most valuable lessons for surviving startup failure. From staying self-aware to redefining success to prioritizing relationships, Keller illuminates the pitfalls that can make or break even the most resilient entrepreneur. Startuplandia can be as exhilarating and rewarding as you dreamed—as long as you’re ready to navigate the inevitable crevasses and quicksand along the way.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

342 pages, Paperback

Published April 29, 2019

Reviews

[Katie Rasoul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a gift of truth

This book is the conversation we have been missing - it opens up the door to discuss how mentally and emotionally challenging it can be to live the entrepreneur life. Thank you, E. Keller Fitzsimmons, for writing what others would not say but so many have experienced. This book will save lives.

[Amanda Baltz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for entrepreneurs!

I could not put this book down! As a fellow entrepreneur, this was a therapeutic read and offered many insights I had not considered before. It is so refreshing to read an honest depiction of life in Startuplandia. I would recommend this to anyone considering starting a company and to entrepreneurs at any point in their startup journey.

[arity · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not much essence. Do you know this feeling when you come to a bar and some drunk dude is constantly trying to brag and appear to be more manly he really is? That's the feeling I had when I was trying to finish the book.

[Dr Cindy Mcgovern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aspiring entrepreneurs are often under the mistaken belief that success is just one brilliant idea away. In her honest, yet empathetic book, Lost in Startuplandia: Wayfinding for the Weary Entrepreneur, E. Keller Fitzsimmons delivers a much needed reality check. She shares the trials and tribulations behind her own extraordinary career, giving the reader an insider look into the rarely discussed shadow side of entrepreneurship. What Fitzsimmons reveals is that success is more about how we handle failure than anything else. And here is the catch, all entrepreneurs fail at some point.

Fitzsimmons knows the challenges well, having found herself on the wrong side of a $5 million dollar personal guarantee at the age of 29. She shares her own experiences along with those of several other well known entrepreneurs and provides valuable insights and practical tools for confronting with adversity. As she puts it, "At it's core, entrepreneurship is struggle against reality. What we believe in, doesn't exist yet." To achieve our vision, founders have to be "willing to endure discomfort for unreasonably long periods of time."

That is easier said that done.

This is the straight story, no sugar-coating, of what it takes to win in the entrepreneurial world. A riveting must read for aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs alike.

[John Stepper · Rating 4 out of 5]

An honest (sometimes brutally so) account of the what, how, and why of founding a start-up. If you’re running your own company or are thinking about it, this may help you confront some possibly uncomfortable truths.