After the Idea: What It Really Takes to Create and Scale a Start-Up

(Hardback)

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Entrepreneurship expert Julia Austin shares battle-tested strategies to help founders and startup joiners build their venture from the ground up

So you want to start a company. Or you were crazy enough to join a startup. You had a great idea, you built a prototype, and maybe you even raised some money. Now what

JuliaAustinis here to answer that big question. She has both experienced and observed that the differentiator between the startups that succeed and those that fail isoperational excellence. A lot of entrepreneurs are great at the idea part but do not anticipate the details required to actually run and scale a new venture. Drawing on Austin's extensive experience at renowned startups like Akamai, VMware, and DigitalOcean and the hundreds of founders and startups she has educated, coached, and advised, After the Idea is full of time-tested strategies to help founders, investors, and employees navigate the operational challenges of startup ventures, including customer development, scalability, process optimization, team management, and more. This accessible set of techniques is for anyone determined to turn a great idea into a solid success.

Reviews

"After the Idea is a masterclass in intentional entrepreneurship. With wisdom born of experience and a genuine understanding of the emotional and operational complexities of startups, Austin provides a guide that is both practical and inspiring. For anyone seeking to build a sustainable, values-driven business, this book is indispensable. Every entrepreneur should read it."
--Jerry Colonna, author of Reboot
"After the Idea masterfully guides first-time founders through the labyrinth of building a startup. With its practical advice, thoughtful insights about founder psychology, and rich, real-world examples, this book is an indispensable resource for turning daunting entrepreneurial challenges into achievable milestones. A must-read for anyone embarking on a startup journey."
--Tom Eisenmann, author of Why Startups Fail
"As a shark on Shark Tank, I've seen countless entrepreneurs light up when sharing their 'a-ha!' moment--only to falter when asked about execution. After The Idea focuses on the hidden challenges of the founder journey, offering guidance on everything from hiring the right team, to crafting go-to-market strategies, and navigating the critical early decisions that make or break a startup. Julia Austin demystifies what happens after the lightbulb moment and gives aspiring founders valuable insights for the ever-evolving process of branching out of the status quo and building the future."
--Matt Higgins, author of Wall Street Journal bestseller Burn the Boats
"Austin has crafted the manual every founder needs to read. In After the Idea, Austin merges her extensive experience with a clear passion for founders into a comprehensive guide that answers, in great detail, the question we whisper to ourselves every night: But how With deep entrepreneurial insight, After the Idea delivers a roadmap for anyone determined to build and scale not just an idea, but a truly remarkable company."
--Karen Young, founder, Oui the People
"Austin has distilled her decades of experience as an insider at a remarkable group of startups into a company-building manual that every founder can benefit from. Austin and I were colleagues at Akamai where her statement that 'Vision leads to execution' was on full display. She turned our deeply held vision into an execution roadmap. She came into an organization that was long on vision, passion, and culture, and honed all of those into an execution-focused machine. Her advice will help founders improve organizational stability, process, accountability, and good decision making without stifling the energy and passion that fuel the best startups in the world."
--Jonathan Seelig, cofounder, Akamai Technologies
"In After the Idea, Austin maps a comprehensive blueprint that goes far beyond the typical startup manual, delving deep into the human element that is crucial for any founder to keep their sanity while facing the many perils of startup-building. Austin blends together personal anecdotes and practical advice, underscoring that building a company is as much about 'people stuff' as it is about product and fundraising. This book challenges founders and joiners to reflect on their 'why, ' and to build a business that aligns with their true north, not just their financial goals."
--Eric Paley, managing director, Founder Collective
"Launching and scaling a startup can often feel like a high-stakes maze, full of challenges that test both your business acumen and your resilience. That's why After the Idea is a breath of fresh air. Austin offers more than just strategies to get from an idea to scale--she unpacks the emotional and psychological toll founders face, reminding us that sustainable success is built as much on self-awareness and alignment with purpose as it is on financial metrics."
--Jenny Fielding, cofounder and managing partner, Everywhere Ventures
"So, you want to start a company or join a startup Austin is the best guide imaginable for your journey. Insightful and generous with her knowledge, she will make sure you avoid common pitfalls and perils. She offers practical, tactical suggestions to help you find success. This book will become the go-to resource for anyone interested in the fast-paced world of startups."
--Kim Scott, New York Times-bestselling author of Radical Candor
"This terrific new book by seasoned startup operator and Harvard Business School professor Austin achieves that rare literary hat trick: it's insightful, riveting, and practical. If you want great storytelling and evidence-based advice for your next start up (whether brand new or underway), After the Idea is the book for you."
--Amy C. Edmondson, author of Right Kind of Wrong

Author Bio

Julia Austin is on the faculty at Harvard Business School and is faculty cochair of the Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship. As a certified executive coach, she works exclusively with startup founders. Austin is an angel investor, serves on startup boards, and advises many founders through her work with several accelerators. She has three daughters and lives in New York City.