This highly readable volume tells the true story of a venture that achieved more than 400,000% return for its founders and investors. The book follows one of the principals in the startup as he navigates a series of extraordinary twists and turns becoming an entrepreneur and building a company. The turbulent journey educates and entertains as the author recounts his own learning experiences-providing a practical education on the fundamentals of customer discovery, sales, marketing, business development and entrepreneurship. This personal story conveys the substance of content taught in the classroom in a compelling and easy to read style. With learning experiences ranging from opportunity identification to customer acquisition and raising money and exiting a company, the book presents a collection of topics carefully curated to answer fundamental questions about innovation, entrepreneurship, and career success.

The book serves as an essential guide for those who wish to innovate to create value and wealth for themselves and others. Readers will gain a gritty, yet inspiring, view of the trials and tribulations inherent in any entrepreneurial endeavor, and will walk away from the book with practical tools and techniques for career success, whether it is with a brand-new startup or an established corporation.

Jesko von Windheim is Professor of the Practice of Environmental Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Duke University and co-founder and CEO of Tyrata, Inc. Previously, he was co-founder and CEO at Nextreme Thermal Solutions, served as a Vice President at RTI International and JDS Uniphase, and was co-founder and Vice President at Cronos Integrated Microsystems, Inc. He has an MBA from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School and an MS and PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Guelph.