Some Reader Comments about SSE
“It isn’t often I get to meet or spend time with my clients’ mentors. I had that honor recently when Paal Gisholt , CEO of SmartPak Equine, introduced me to his longtime mentor and now board member, Frank Zenie . His credentials include spending 25-plus years as an entrepreneur and chief executive, building innovative, market-leading and profitable companies (Waters Corporation and Zymark Corporation to name two), as well as writing a book called “StreetSmart Entrepreneuring.”
What impressed me most about Frank Zenie was his humble, “roll-up his sleeves,” no nonsense approach to business. I told him he had me at the term he coined: “entrepreneuring.” I loved that he sees this activity as a verb, as a practice that always evolves, and sees himself as a continual creative learner.”
From: Target Marketing Magazine, June 2012, (click to view entire article) "Brand Matters - A Frank Talk"
by Andrea Syverson, President, (click to visit website) IER Partners
Streetsmart Enterpreneuring, is that single, priceless, "how-to-succeed" manual that should be required reading for every entrepreneur. Zenie guides the reader step-by-step from testing your vision, fine-tuning your marketing and product, and branding strategies at startup, to building your team, adjusting your goals, protecting your ideas and developing your leadership, to preparing your mature enterprise for a handsome payday at buyout.
Al Carlson, Founder of Personal Branding Gold - Review of "StreetSmart Entrepreneuring"
(Click here to read review on Amazon.com) - Click here to visit Al's Website
"Frank Zenie has served as a Senior Lecturer in MIT's "Starting and Running a Successful Technology-Based Company". He also lectured to our special Entrepreneurship & Innovation MBA Program. Frank's combination of hardware and software entrepreneurial successes gives him unique capabilities to relate to all of our students' career interests. His systematic coverage of the factors affecting success and failure, and his own "street smart" insights make him a valuable addition to our classes."
Edward B. Roberts, David Sarnoff Professor of Management of Technology, and
Founder/Chair, MIT Entrepreneurship Center, MIT Sloan School of Management
“Frank Zenie’s talk to the students at the Johnson Graduate School of Business on the role of boards of directors in startup companies was just what we were looking for. The students were quite positive in their comments to me and I share their enthusiasm. A very valuable lecture.”
David J. BenDaniel, Berens Professor of Entrepreneurship, Cornell University
“I was happy you all got a chance to see Frank in action. (Following an offsite planning workshop) I have been to literally hundreds of Board meetings in my career, for all types of companies, and I put Frank in the top of individuals in terms of insight into what it really takes to build a business. I have found his comments to be helpful in bringing SmartPak to this point, and I am thrilled to have him so engaged and energized in continuing to build our franchise.”
Paal Gisholt - President & CEO, SmartPak LLC
“I only wish I had a copy of this document (StreetSmart Entrepreneuring) on Day One of Advion. It could have helped me/us a lot. …. Your book must be completed and made available to all new entrepreneurs. It is so practical and full of ‘common sense’ that some may not appreciate it, but some will and I certainly do. …. As you say, let’s just get it out there and let customers guide/help us focus on what features it needs. …. Small companies need to be nimble and effective. As Nike says, ‘Just Do It’!”
Jack Henion, Founder, Chairman & Chief Scientific Officer, Advion Inc.
"Frank is a vital and inspirational leader who taught many of us who were fortunate enough to work with him to be entrepreneurial. His unwavering focus on customer relationships and personal integrity carries on in the careers of those he mentored. Frank showed us that thriving businesses center around their clients, and that to be successful you must really listen to your customers. He is one person in my life that I can point to and acknowledge that due to his counsel and example my professional life has been richer."
Andy Zaayenga, Laboratory Automation Consultant, Entrepreneur and Former Zymark Colleague
“Very well done and particularly useful to an aspiring entrepreneur! I especially liked the section on building a company – I think this is your strength.”
Peter R Russo - former CEO and President of Data Instruments, Inc. Currently Director of Entrepreneurship Programs and Entrepreneur in Residence at Boston University’s School of Management.
“Thanks for “StreetSmart Entrepreneuring”. I think I will use it for 15.390A (MIT Sloan - Entrepreneurship and Innovation – New Enterprises) next year. “
Howard Anderson, Founder of Yankee Group and Battery Ventures & Professor of Entrepreneurship, MIT Sloan School
“Frank, I started reading StreetSmart today at the auto repair shop and all I can say is that it is GREAT. The style is great. Lot's of substantive content.
I have been reading and re-reading the manuscript. It is by far the best and most concise material I have read on this topic. I really like it.”
Joe Hadzima, Managing Director, Main Street Partners LLC – Former Chairman, MIT Enterprise Forum
“Frank Zenie has managed to close the gap between believing and knowing - pragmatically building on experience and success. This is a must read for anyone possessing the passion to succeed by converting vision to reality.”
Andy Ferrara, President - Boston Healthcare
“It makes my job easy when I have clients as engaged and easy to deal with as you are. I have not finished going through the manuscript yet, but what I've read so far looks excellent indeed. It should be required reading for young (and old) lawyers who want to know how business should work.”
Chris Holsing – Entrepreneurial Attorney
“Terrific job. It’s the real world that students need to hear about.”
Art Carr – Successful Entrepreneur & Former Executive Vice President, Motorola, Inc.
“Mr. Zenie, Thank you so much for sending me your manuscript. Your presentation influenced me profoundly, and I'm really grateful for your coming to Lehigh. I hope to be able to use all your tips and become a successful entrepreneur.”
Sebastiano Corriere – Intern at Lehigh University Global Village for Future Leaders
Click HERE to preview a sample from SSE.
What impressed me most about Frank Zenie was his humble, “roll-up his sleeves,” no nonsense approach to business. I told him he had me at the term he coined: “entrepreneuring.” I loved that he sees this activity as a verb, as a practice that always evolves, and sees himself as a continual creative learner.”
From: Target Marketing Magazine, June 2012, (click to view entire article) "Brand Matters - A Frank Talk"
by Andrea Syverson, President, (click to visit website) IER Partners
Streetsmart Enterpreneuring, is that single, priceless, "how-to-succeed" manual that should be required reading for every entrepreneur. Zenie guides the reader step-by-step from testing your vision, fine-tuning your marketing and product, and branding strategies at startup, to building your team, adjusting your goals, protecting your ideas and developing your leadership, to preparing your mature enterprise for a handsome payday at buyout.
Al Carlson, Founder of Personal Branding Gold - Review of "StreetSmart Entrepreneuring"
(Click here to read review on Amazon.com) - Click here to visit Al's Website
"Frank Zenie has served as a Senior Lecturer in MIT's "Starting and Running a Successful Technology-Based Company". He also lectured to our special Entrepreneurship & Innovation MBA Program. Frank's combination of hardware and software entrepreneurial successes gives him unique capabilities to relate to all of our students' career interests. His systematic coverage of the factors affecting success and failure, and his own "street smart" insights make him a valuable addition to our classes."
Edward B. Roberts, David Sarnoff Professor of Management of Technology, and
Founder/Chair, MIT Entrepreneurship Center, MIT Sloan School of Management
“Frank Zenie’s talk to the students at the Johnson Graduate School of Business on the role of boards of directors in startup companies was just what we were looking for. The students were quite positive in their comments to me and I share their enthusiasm. A very valuable lecture.”
David J. BenDaniel, Berens Professor of Entrepreneurship, Cornell University
“I was happy you all got a chance to see Frank in action. (Following an offsite planning workshop) I have been to literally hundreds of Board meetings in my career, for all types of companies, and I put Frank in the top of individuals in terms of insight into what it really takes to build a business. I have found his comments to be helpful in bringing SmartPak to this point, and I am thrilled to have him so engaged and energized in continuing to build our franchise.”
Paal Gisholt - President & CEO, SmartPak LLC
“I only wish I had a copy of this document (StreetSmart Entrepreneuring) on Day One of Advion. It could have helped me/us a lot. …. Your book must be completed and made available to all new entrepreneurs. It is so practical and full of ‘common sense’ that some may not appreciate it, but some will and I certainly do. …. As you say, let’s just get it out there and let customers guide/help us focus on what features it needs. …. Small companies need to be nimble and effective. As Nike says, ‘Just Do It’!”
Jack Henion, Founder, Chairman & Chief Scientific Officer, Advion Inc.
"Frank is a vital and inspirational leader who taught many of us who were fortunate enough to work with him to be entrepreneurial. His unwavering focus on customer relationships and personal integrity carries on in the careers of those he mentored. Frank showed us that thriving businesses center around their clients, and that to be successful you must really listen to your customers. He is one person in my life that I can point to and acknowledge that due to his counsel and example my professional life has been richer."
Andy Zaayenga, Laboratory Automation Consultant, Entrepreneur and Former Zymark Colleague
“Very well done and particularly useful to an aspiring entrepreneur! I especially liked the section on building a company – I think this is your strength.”
Peter R Russo - former CEO and President of Data Instruments, Inc. Currently Director of Entrepreneurship Programs and Entrepreneur in Residence at Boston University’s School of Management.
“Thanks for “StreetSmart Entrepreneuring”. I think I will use it for 15.390A (MIT Sloan - Entrepreneurship and Innovation – New Enterprises) next year. “
Howard Anderson, Founder of Yankee Group and Battery Ventures & Professor of Entrepreneurship, MIT Sloan School
“Frank, I started reading StreetSmart today at the auto repair shop and all I can say is that it is GREAT. The style is great. Lot's of substantive content.
I have been reading and re-reading the manuscript. It is by far the best and most concise material I have read on this topic. I really like it.”
Joe Hadzima, Managing Director, Main Street Partners LLC – Former Chairman, MIT Enterprise Forum
“Frank Zenie has managed to close the gap between believing and knowing - pragmatically building on experience and success. This is a must read for anyone possessing the passion to succeed by converting vision to reality.”
Andy Ferrara, President - Boston Healthcare
“It makes my job easy when I have clients as engaged and easy to deal with as you are. I have not finished going through the manuscript yet, but what I've read so far looks excellent indeed. It should be required reading for young (and old) lawyers who want to know how business should work.”
Chris Holsing – Entrepreneurial Attorney
“Terrific job. It’s the real world that students need to hear about.”
Art Carr – Successful Entrepreneur & Former Executive Vice President, Motorola, Inc.
“Mr. Zenie, Thank you so much for sending me your manuscript. Your presentation influenced me profoundly, and I'm really grateful for your coming to Lehigh. I hope to be able to use all your tips and become a successful entrepreneur.”
Sebastiano Corriere – Intern at Lehigh University Global Village for Future Leaders
Click HERE to preview a sample from SSE.
