Book Review - Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur, by Pamela Slim

Reviewed by George Berkheimer, STAFF WRITER



Portfolio; 352 pages; $26.00



The approaches and processes involved in launching and nurturing successful startups are as varied as entrepreneurs and businesses themselves. Unsurprisingly, the nature of entrepreneurship precludes any notion of a one-size-fits-all handbook for doing it right. But that's not to say the attempt can't still be worthwhile.

With her book, Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur, author Pamela Slim tackles many of the universal aspects of entrepreneurship, introducing prospective entrepreneurs to make-or-break decision points that can help determine their viability, at least on paper.

It is by no means a business bible, but rather a field guide to the entrepreneur's environment, and one that is likely to be most appreciated by those unfamiliar with the territory.

Slim could have taken the easy route by allowing her book to stand as an anthology culled from her online blog, "Escape from Cubicle Nation." She goes several steps further, however, by including interviews and anecdotes provided by thriving entrepreneurs. Contributors include recognizable figures such as Food Network star Rachael Ray; Grammar Girl podcaster Mignon Fogarty, who turned a simple idea into a podcast network; and Jason Alba, founder and CEO of the job hunt tracking site JibberJobber.

Slim adds a healthy dose of realism by recounting the stunning failures she and other successful people have experienced along the way. Questionnaires, illustrative charts, sidebars, correspondence and other relevant ephemera help lend Escape from Cubicle Nation an easy-to-read quality without detracting from the concise progression and flow of ideas.

Perhaps one of the most helpful features of the book is a Resources appendix which sets off a list of relevant blogs, books and web sites, making it easy for the reader to explore additional sources of information without having to wade through the bibliography.



Get Comfortable

Slim intersperses the book's topics with real-life situations from her experience as a trainer focused on improving large corporations and later as a life coach for individuals looking to break free of those same organizations.

The appropriate analogy for Slim's multi-angled approach of each topic is that of standing in a fitting room, checking the appearance of a new suit or outfit from different mirrors before making a commitment.

"You should feel as comfortable in your brand as in a well-worn pair of pajamas," Slim advises. "You are not posturing or pretending or positioning. You are sharing the best of you with your people, your market [and] your tribe. Bring it on in Technicolor."

Summarized conversations between Slim and her clients encompass both the technical and emotional aspects of entrepreneurship, exploring topics such as physical and fiscal health, psychology, creativity, mentoring and business planning.

Throughout the book, the author dispenses plenty of advice and encouragement. Fear of failure is not only natural, she argues, but necessary to allow entrepreneurs to examine the truth in their fear as a means of mitigating risk. Entrepreneurs should get "fear-fit," but not until they have developed an appropriate safety net, she writes. "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable, [because] fear is an essential part of growth."



Nuts and Bolts

Entrepreneurs may be born, Slim acknowledges, but they also can be made. The decision to embrace entrepreneurship might be easier for someone with a specific, marketable idea, but what about someone with little more going for him or her than an overwhelming desire to escape an unsatisfying corporate career?

Slim contends that even people in that position can make the transition by finding their "sweet spot," asking themselves what people will pay them to do, what they have a great passion for and what they are able to better than anybody else.

Readers will find useful, practical tips on topics such as pricing, cash flow management, adding value to their offerings, branding, finding mentors and kicking off mentoring relationships, using social networking to their advantage, what entrepreneurs should do if they crash and burn, and even advice on how to talk to a spouse, family member or friend who might not be sold on the rationality of chucking a salary to go it alone.

Slim even includes a chapter dedicated to shopping for and evaluating benefits, again taking a no-stone-unturned approach that includes examples of professional organizations and trade associations that offer health insurance for better rates than individuals can secure on their own.

Escape from Cubicle Nation leaves readers with two universal truths to ponder: Timing depends more on luck than analysis; and with the exception of business planning, everything, including lifestyle and location, is negotiable.

In every case, "[entrepreneurship] is a leap of faith," Slim advises. "The more you try, test, get beat down, get back up, laugh in the face of massive failure and maintain a spirit of curiosity, the better an entrepreneur you will be."