Innovation on Tap: Stories of Entrepreneurship from the Cotton Gin to Broadway's Hamilton

by Eric B. Schultz

Innovation on Tap is the story of innovation in America told through the eyes of 25 entrepreneurs, from Eli Whitney and his cotton gin to Lin-Manuel Miranda and his Broadway smash, Hamilton.  

The stories illustrate the sweep and impact of innovation. From razor blades, insurance, and baseball to smart cities, online running communities, and cybersecurity, innovators across three centuries gather in an imaginary barroom to discuss the essential themes of entrepreneurship--Mechanization, Mass Production, Consumerism, Digitization, and Sustainability--while emphasizing and reemphasizing the importance of community to their success.   

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, History

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 29, 2019

About the author

Eric has spent his career in entrepreneurial and leadership roles, including as senior vice president of Midwest operations for American Cablesystems, co-founder and president of Atlantic Ventures, and chairman and CEO of Sensitech, a venture-backed business twice named to the Inc. 500 before being acquired by Carrier Corporation. Eric served as a CEO-partner with Ascent Ventures, as executive chairman of HubCast, on the board of advisors of the Avedis Zildjian Company and Windover LLC, and as a mentor for student start-up teams in the Brown University B-Lab.

His nonprofit historical work includes chairing the Gettysburg Foundation and the New England Historic Genealogical Society. He is co-author of Food Foolish: The Hidden Connection Between Food Waste, Hunger, and Climate Change, and King Philip's War: The History and Legacy of America's Forgotten Conflict, and author of Weathermakers to the World. Eric has a bachelor's degree in history from Brown University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Eric's blog is "The Occasional CEO" at theoccasionalceo.blogspot.com where he posts updates to Innovation on Tap. He can also be found on Twitter at @ericebs and on LinkedIn.

Reviews

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointingly this book ran out of steam for me by the last few chapters. A very good premise. The author takes us to a virtual bar where all these innovators are gathered to talk and discuss innovation here in the US and he breaks it down by themes: Mechanization, Mass Production, Consumerism, Sustainability and Digitization. Sadly the last two themes are boring as all get out and suffer because most all of the people he discusses in those two sections are not your typical innovators and have created little and really have not "made" anything. Each section has the innovator "talking" to us about their product or idea and then doing a brief biography. Some of the most fascinating chapters deal with Willis Carrier and Stephen Mather. But there are probably many better people and innovations that he could cover instead of those last 8 or so which are a real stretch and for me have really not innovated a whole lot. But the concept and first 60% of the book was really good. I only wished he either had better chosen the last two topics of innovation or found better people to discuss.

[Kelley Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Innovation on Tap brings together the country’s most innovative problem solvers into one place at the same time to share their stories, and reminds us that “entrepreneurship” isn’t new – it’s been happening in our own country for over two centuries, with roots in solving problems rather than pitch decks and liquidity events.

Having worked with multiple startups, teaching entrepreneurship to university engineers and managing a new venture community network, I found Eric’s book to be both entertaining and educational. It gives the reader an appreciation of things we take for granted like cotton shirts and razors, shows the obstacles and barriers the founders had to overcome (your factory burned down last night!) and provides the motivation and inspiration to tackle social problems we face today.

With social media and 24 hour news, the aspects of entrepreneurship that are glamorized often miss the important contributions made by people willing to take on the tough problems and build a company that creates employment, strengthens the local economy and provides the world with practical solutions. Innovation on Tap is both a reminder and a call to action to make a difference.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book takes you into the past, giving you the ever evolving face of entrepreneurship over the decades in American history. Indeed, all good stories start from somewhere and though there are many new innovations, systems and places- one thing that this book brought out is that, people are the constant element in all this. And successful entrepreneurs have never stopped looking for better ways to involve people in whatever it is they create.
Thanks Netgalley for the link- I am not a fan of make-up but reading Chapter 9 on Elizabeth Arden's journey was quite remarkable.

[Darya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can call this book a history of innovation. Interesting insights and stories of entrepreneurs, innovators and creative minds from different times. We can lead a lot from the past to focus on our future.

[Amit Verma · Rating 4 out of 5]

.We needed hero very time some problem stood firm.
Science came to rescue.
Wars advanced scientific pursuit for destruction which after wars ended, did usher some blessings.
Each time somebody stood firm and took leadership. That particular hero riding on his innovation captured the opportunity that new technology provided.


This book is about such heroes.
It starts with Manufacturing of cotton gin which revolutionized cotton industry and high quality muskets and shovels.
And then all prominent entrepreneurs of USA are described with particular focus on their struggles and how they overcame them.

It is heartening to see a lot of ladies in that list. And also black entrepreneurs as development of human race is not focal but it is due to contribution of every community.

I liked parts on Gillete who made steel blades, Carrier who invented Air conditioning and Mary Elizabeth who made candy industry.

In last part present entrepreneur are described with special focus on people working on environmental preservation and cybersecurity.

Overall, holistic book giving place to all significant pioneers and covering every business without particular bias.
I didn't like concept of these people walking in a bar and discussing. There are lots of titles where people walk into the bar.
Read this book to feel the circumstances which tried to defeat these great people but with great perseverance were overcome by them; for general benefit of mankind.
Writing is fluent and engaging with excellent research of the history of particular event.
Thanks netgalley and publisher for review copy.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grateful to receive as a goodreads giveaway.

Moving to my abandoned before finishing. After starting it, I ended up skimming a lot of it. But as always the fact that it is in abandoned before finishing means I may not be giving it a fully fair shake and your mileage may vary.

Basic premise is a gathering of some innovators to discuss key elements of innovation. It is done in a fictionalized way using the old question of what historical figure would you have over for dinner and why... but here they can converse with one another. If you like this approach and want to learn more about some key elements of innovation, I encourage you to check this out. Before you do, you may want to know that the nature of the topics covered range from historical (e.g. mechanization) to more modern (e.g. sustainability) which means that readers more interested in one area than another are not likely to be consistently engaged throughout. And To me the author's enthusiasm seemed strongest for the historical piece vs. some of the later elements, so that is the stronger portion of the book.

Unfortunately, I don't tend to connect with the business books that use a fictional construct to try to make the basic ideas more palatable. It always reminds me of one of my mandatory b-school books - "The Goal" which uses a novelized approach to explain theory of constraints / operations management. And I found "The Goal" to be very groan inducing... so books that remind me of that are not likely to advance very far on my reading list...

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a Kindle edition of this book from Goodreads.

This isn't the kind of book I would have typically selected while looking for an interesting read, but I'm trying to branch out and explore some new genres so I registered for a copy of this book. I mean, come on y'all...when is the last time you read a riveting book about entrepreneurship? But, history? I love a good history read, so why not?

This book was fun. It was really fun! Imagine walking into a bar and meeting some of the greatest inventors and innovators from the beginning of the Industrial revolution to today. Imagine having a discussion with each of these inspiring individuals...hearing a captivating retelling of their ideas, dreams, steps, progress, failures and successes to become some of the most influential individuals that rose to prominence in the United States. It combines business savvy with history in a most fascinating way and brings up food for thought that the reader can apply to their own business practices, or even everyday life.

If you aren't inspired to go forth and conquer after reading this book, you need to change your mindset.

Thank you to the author, Eric B. Schultz, for a great book!

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sounded like a fun book, putting a bunch of innovators in a bar scene and giving the reader a brief insight to why each individual should be considered an innovator. The premise of the book however falls short. In my opinion this would have made a better Netflix mini series than a book. That is not to say that it's not still an interesting book, because it is, but that the angle at which the book was written missed it's mark. I did enjoy reading about various people from history whom I would not have either known about before reading this, or would not have stopped to consider if what they did was innovative. Kudos to Schultz for trying to write a book that puts a twist on history but unfortunately it just didn't work for me. I felt like the bar scenes were too small and I would have liked to see more interaction between the "characters" in them. I also felt like the telling of each story was rushed, too much crammed into a small book.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so here's the deal.
This is a highly informative and concise listing of some of the greatest innovators and entrepreneurs in American History. It's the tales of some of the people that defined what it means and takes to start a new business throughout the different eras of America. It is well presented, well written, and pleasant in the way it presents and condenses the lives and achievements of some fascinating people.
However!
I did not enjoy the way that Schultz decided to piece the stories together by making it all as if it were an 'entrepreneur night' at a bar. Forgive me, but I found it a bit corny and could have really done without those parts. It's a shame that such a methodical and articulate book had to suffer by the author trying to get overly creative in the presentation.

Mandatory note: I got my copy through GoodReads' First Reads.

[Stephanie Rossman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was much better than I expected. I’m not usually one who enjoys ready about history or inventions, but this book was told from a unique perspective- great innovators of the last three centuries sitting together in a barroom and telling their stories. I thought the book was well-organized, dividing the innovators into categories of mechanization, mass production, consumerism, sustainability, and digitization. I was a bit surprised by the author’s choice in innovators, though. I feel like he missed a great opportunity to focus on some great innovators and chose a few that really weren’t as exciting. Overall, still a great read!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an innovative way to present some of the history of American entrepreneurship over the last 200 years. There are 25 unique (and mostly interesting stories) of how innovation from all sorts of endeavors can make the world different. I'm not a business person but I would think anyone trying to succeed in that field would find a lot to learn from these experiences. I thought it would be a dry read but it turned out that I enjoyed this book more than I anticipated.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.

[Elizabeth Herr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads Giveaways for a copy of this book.

This one took me a while to get through, but I am happy to say that I've finally finished it! Schultz's idea for this book is brilliant - the setting, the organization, and the selection of entrepreneurs. I enjoyed the barroom aspect and how that was something the reader always came back to. Unfortunately, I ended up skimming the second half of the book. It just lost its steam as the chapters went on. I did learn quite a bit though and look forward to reading more about some of the folks at a later point.

[Kurt Jensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hodge-podge with goofy framing, but a fairly enjoyable collection of stories for adult learners to make of what they will. No perspective of its own, besides what it chooses to include--it really swallows and regurgitates whatever popular narrative there is about a thing, so it doesn't add much value besides being a ~fun~ little collection which is hit and miss. I appreciated the historical stories more than the contemporary ones.

[Candace Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

I absolutely loved this book!

It is told in such a unique and engaging manner. Stories from multiple centuries are woven together, explaining what each of these entrepreneurs had in common, by telling the stories as if they were speaking to each other.

I read this for more of an historical context of the people each chapter was focused on, but found the insights into business fascinated me as well.

[Reena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting spin on the classic 'interview' format: the author hosts a night out in a bar for numerous innovators (and the definition isn't what you might think!), both alive and deceased.
Each chapter introduces you to a new person and highlights what distinguishes them from your run-of-the-mill businessmen and turned them into true entrepreneurs.

[Thomas Lambe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this new work from NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this new book about the history of innovation. It was packed with meaningful insights. Worth reading for anyone interested in history/technology...etc. Definitely recommend. I will buy some copies for my work team.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Innovation on Tap is an engaging read, set in a tap room with some extraordinary entrepreneurs. The manner in which Schultz shares how each came into their own and changed their respective industries/ products kept me engaged until the end. I highly recommend this!

[Kristina Aziz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good beginners resource

Excellent gift for the young (or old) MBA in your life, or anyone who is interested in creating a business bit doesn't know the first thing about business.

I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway

[x x x · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good motivation

Too many examples of creative destruction amid success stories not to feel good and inspired. Current with strong historical underpinnings and terrific notes plus an index.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read. Introduced many historical figures and their historical contributions. It sparked my interest in earning more about some of those individuals. It is not a deep, intellectual look at the nature of innovation, and I do not think it holds itself out that way.

[Heather Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Innovation on Tap is a fantastic view of innovators and entrepreneurs throughout the years. This book is well written and has great insights.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read

[Csimplot Simplot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Book!!!

[Don Findlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great tour through the history of innovation, using a fun bar scene format to make connections across people, eras and technologies. Non-fiction written with entertainment.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into some of the all time brilliant minds!

[Eric Schultz]

“One of the most unique and useful books on entrepreneurship I’ve ever read.
Eric deftly guides us through a journey with history’s greatest entrepreneurs—
their innovations, incredible obstacles, and the drama that fueled their historic
impact. Every chapter and page offer modern entrepreneurs unique lessons
and insights to succeed in their own ventures.”
—CJ CORNELL, serial entrepreneur and author, The Age of
Metapreneurship and The Startup Brain Trust

“Imagine the ability to eavesdrop on the banter of entrepreneurs across three centuries
of American innovation as they chat at the bar, comparing notes of their
successes and challenges. Innovation on Tap puts that opportunity at your fingertips
with a well-researched, accessible, and fun read that makes these undervalued
histories highly relevant to today’s entrepreneurs and innovators.”
—GREG GALER, Ph.D., Executive Director, Boston Preservation Alliance
and former Curator, Industrial History Center, Stonehill College

“Schultz tells the sweeping story of American ingenuity over the centuries
through the decisions and decisive actions of some of our greatest entrepreneurs.
From razor blades to musicals, fiber bars to automobiles, national parks
to cybersecurity, he skillfully blends history with an understanding of business
and innovation to craft a must-read book.”
—MATTHEW MOEN, Ph.D., President, Gettysburg Foundation and
Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of South Dakota

“In Innovation on Tap Eric Schultz paints an informative and inspiring panorama
of the history of entrepreneurial achievement in America. The unique
perspective provided in this book will be an invaluable guide forward for
entrepreneurs and leaders of all kinds in navigating the busy intersection of
entrepreneurship and innovation.”
—DANIEL ISENBERG, former entrepreneur and professor at the Harvard
Business School; author, Worthless, Impossible and Stupid: How Contrarian
Entrepreneurs Create and Capture Extraordinary Value

“Eric Schultz—accomplished innovator turned penetrating historian—deftly
links foundational moments in business history to today’s challenges, while making
legendary entrepreneurs feel as familiar as the folks at the corner bar. Open a
cold one and enjoy these stories—you’ll want to start applying them right away.”
—JON KLEIN, former President, CNN/US

“By emphasizing sustainability as a theme of modern entrepreneurship, Eric
Schultz has hit on one of the drivers of the global economy. From ensuring
clean water and preserving public lands, to developing new renewable energy
models and launching urban gardens, Eric tells powerful stories of entrepreneurs
that will educate and inspire.”
—JOHN MANDYCK, CEO, Urban Green Council; visiting scientist,
T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University

“Eric Schultz is a talented CEO and entrepreneur who guided the growth and
sale of Sensitech, an Ascent portfolio company. Whether you are a serial entrepreneur
or just launching your first start-up, you will find important lessons
and wisdom in the entertaining stories of innovation and community that Eric
shares in Innovation on Tap.”
—MATT FATES, General Partner, Ascent Venture Partners

“When Eric Schultz writes about the birth of jazz and Hamilton’s rise on Broadway,
he reminds us that social and cultural innovation can transform the world
every bit as much as the latest technological breakthrough.”
—CRAIGIE ZILDJIAN, CEO, Avedis Zildjian Company,
Cymbal makers since 1623

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you could invite 3 people to dinner who would you invite?"

Everyone is familiar with that question, well this author took that question and made his own "If we got all the innovators and entrepreneurs together in a bar, what could we learn?"

Fun premise that provides a good mix of information and humor/fun to make this. Very informative and inspirational on how the now "basic" and "simple" things we use in everyday life were once nonexistent till these innovators finally said "Enough!".

This could easily be a History, Discovery, or science channel series if someone got a hold of it.

Goodreads first reads giveaway for an honest review.

[Dayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The earlier sections provide a lot of interesting historical information, but overall the book reads a little 'thin,' especially as the narrative moves toward the contemporary era. I received a Kindle edition from a Goodreads giveaway.