Customer Reviews

Driven: How To Succeed In Business And In Life

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

In Driven, Herjavec tells a classic immigrant success story. He arrived as a boy in Canada with his poor parents. Struggled to fit in at school. Worked a series of jobs (debt collector, waiter, retail menswear salesman) that provided valuable business lessons. Started a company, worked hard to grow it and then sold it to an industry giant for more money than he ever imagined having. Continued to have success in business, raised a family and to top it all off, became a television celebrity in Canada and the United States.

The book is written as a series of lessons drawn from this experience and his appearances on Dragon's Den and Shark Tank. He tells an account of how and why he became involved with both shows, some lessons that we can learn from the pitches, and a behind the scenes look at some of the program's best moments.

Unfortunately, Herjavec's anecdotes are interrupted with generic business management advice that is all too common. Consider these two samples: "...a constant shortage of cash to pay all bills in full is a serious symptom of trouble for your business." "How you fix things with clients is as important as what you fix." There is nothing wrong with this type of advice, but it could come from anyone running any type of business. There are no intriguing insights here about entrepreneurship in Canada or the unique challenges of building an internet security business. There are scant details about his current business (The Herjavec Group), the company that he sold to AT&T, BRAK Systems, (the proceeds of the sale being the base of his wealth), or any of his other business investments.

If you are a fan of Robert Herjavec on Dragon's Den or Shark Tank, you will enjoy the book. His success story is inspirational, he comes across as a generous and warm person, and the lessons serve as an entertaining reminder of the business truisms that apply across all industries. However, if you are looking for thought provoking writing about entrepreneurship or high-tech business success, you need to look elsewhere.

Robert Herjavec shares his advice on how to be successful in business (and in life). Although the book sometimes lacks cohesion and he does spend a bit too much time talking about Dragon's Den, it is nonetheless a really good (and easy) book to read.

The advice and stories he gives help give you the right mindset for entering the business world.

BillW-AZ from Tempe, Arizona may have his own reasons for dismissing Robert Herjavec's book and is of course entitled to his opinion. But he is not entitled to distort facts. In response to specific errors in his review as the ghost-writer for the book, permit me to correct him on a point or two:

1. For several years before becoming a full-time writer I owned and operated a marketing services firm with several talented and well-paid employees. I indeed knew what it was like to make a payroll and function as an entrepreneur. BillW would not know this, of course, but it did not prevent him from making an erroneous statement and assume it would be accepted as gospel. It should not.

2. I have written several books on behalf of CEOs and entrepreneurs of major corporations, providing me with deep insight into their challenges and achievements - if this qualification means anything to BillW.

3. I have also written several books on my own on financial and investment topics, and will be pleased to submit their titles. Perhaps BillW will indicate if he prefers them in alphabetical or chronological order.

4. Of course, the role of ghostwriter is not to tell his/her story; it is to relate the subject's story in a true and compelling manner. So what's the point of even raising the ghostwriter's background anyway? (Points 1, 2 and 3 above are here simply to refute BillW's errors.)

5. The value of Robert Herjavec's comments and advice is best judged by independent readers, not by someone with an apparent hidden agenda in mind (mine is open and transparent).

Finally - likely to BillW's surprise - DRIVEN has been on a number of best-seller lists since its publication in September 2010. He may derive from this fact whatever he wishes, but it remains a fact, not a mean-spirited fancy.

This is without the best self help, motivational, tell it like it is book for entreprenuers that I have ever read. I have pre ordered Mr. Herjavec's next book and will read DRIVEN at least a second time for sure. This is EXCELLENT++++++

A young Croatian comes to Canada, starts with little and does very well. This book is less a description of how he built and sold a series of successful businesses and more an anthology of business advice collected through the years. Very enjoyable , but not concise. I would advise young business people to read this book.

Good read but nothing startling in there. He says several times that you need to be born with the drive to succeed - you can't develop it. I totally disagree, or at least think that people slip into not being motivated but this doesn't mean they don't have it. He also thinks you need to get by on 4-5 hours sleep a night which is ok if you can but almost everybody can't!!

Not a very good book. Reads like a brag sheet or a resume. If it was meant to have me stand up and cheer for the rags to riches success of the author..... it did not. The book title includes the phrase "how to", I found little of use in the read. Sadly what the offering did was undermine a fair amount of respect I had for the author. Its a very boastful effort with scant little to offer in the way of useful advice...... sadly.
I wrote a more scathing analysis earlier but I see it did not pass the smell test of censorship.
No matter.... the end remains the same.
Lots of arm waving in this book, but no flying.

I admire the author's way of doing business and his accomplishments but would have appreciated more examples of his life/business experiences than the constant referrals to Dragon's Den. There are better business books out there but the price is right.

I was pretty open at the start of the book, but as I read on, it felt very boastful, self-applauding, and vainglorious. He did great by selling his company, and I feel positive encouragment, however he is not as unique as he proclaims. For every successful Robert Herjavec, there are likely 10,000 people who had the same drive, cunning, and smarts. He was in the right place, right time, that's it. Bad read

When you read a book, and can relate to the author, the book is a homerun as it can motivate you to keep moving! Robert Herjavec's "Driven" had a profound affect on me. I picked it up because I love watching "Shark Tank" and "Dragon's Den" but who knew Robert's tips would resonate to my very core! As a young woman with an entrepreneurial spirit, I ate up all of Robert's tips and carried this book with me until I had read the very last page. As I kept reading, I was thinking to myself "Yes, this is me! Robert is writing about me!"

I picked up the book in Toronto, and read it on the plane on my way back to the US, and realized that I too was "DRIVEN" when I packed my bags 10 years ago, and moved to the US in search of my dreams. As I move closer, I can smile as I know I am on the right path. Who knows, maybe I crossed paths with Robert at some point when I lived in Toronto, or when I went to the posh Yorkville bar "Remys" or even as I rollerbladed to the gym past the Bridle Path, where Robert resides. But who cares, as we all brush paths with real winners on our path to our dreams, and then one day, others will want to brush paths with us! Take Robert's lead and learn to give back, sharing your secrets of success. If you are a winner, looking to make it to the top, READ THIS BOOK TODAY, and I will see you at the top! Thanks for all the tips, Robert! Andrea Samadi, author of The Secret for Teens Revealed: How Parents, Teachers, and Teenagers Can Inspire Leadership and Transform Lives