Type “Startup” into Amazon book search and you’ll get over 20,000 hits.  In this crowded field, the path to producing a work of value is an epic journey.  In Startup Myths and Models by Rizwan Virk, the author uses elements of legendary journeys to breathe life into his personal stories of building a business from the ground up.  Riz has over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, investor and author, all of which offers clarity, insight, and in some cases personal life coaching for the nascent entrepreneur.

The cover illustration hints at the key role of the Startup Model Lifecycle, used throughout the book to help entrepreneurs understand how their decisions are intimately connected to the phase their business is in.  The text is organized according to the 6 main stages of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, with standard business school models and common myths appearing along the way.  As the title implies, it is the myths – those accepted rules of thumb that can also become a mental trap – that form the central theme distinguishing the book from others in this category.

Myths about starting a company are gathered together in the first stage, The Call to Adventure.  Here tales like Star Wars and The Hobbit illustrate some of the motives for beginning an adventure.  Riz tells the story of his own personal experience while working at Lotus Development, where he recognized and took advantage of a line of business his employer was not addressing.  Several common early stage myths are addressed with present-day examples.  There are also early warnings that the journey may not end up as expected and yet still be worth the effort. <continue reading>