What People Are Saying…
Reviews by Entrepreneurs
— Peter Dean, Partner and Web Design Consultant at Debayne Web Design
“The chapter, The Ten Commandments of Startup Profit, is very neat, crisp and incisive. The book will certainly help first-time entrepreneurs think through various aspects of their business.”
— Prajakt Raut, Co-founder at Applyifi and founder The Hub for Startups, New Delhi Area, India
“No one can guarantee your success. But Ed McLaughlin’s book will maximize your chance of success. Experience is the best teacher and Ed’s book can give you that hard won and very practical experience in advance- if you are willing to listen and open to learning!”
— Brian Froelich, President BPF Consulting
“The Startup Roadmap is jam-packed with really pertinent information. This is no flowery generic ‘you should think about’…but truly a concisely written roadmap. And yes, you sold me, I AM buying ‘The Purpose Is Profit.’”
— Helena Brusic, Managing Director at The Imagination Agency Pty Ltd, Australia
“If you are starting to think about becoming a brave new entrepreneur, this is the guide to use. In fact, I promise you will learn more than one new thing from this book even if you think you have ‘done it before!’”
— Guy Cleveland, Senior Director at SageGroup Strategies
“The Startup Roadmap was very helpful and something I have not seen elsewhere. I recently read a few other books that focus on startups, Peter Thiel’s Zero to One and Ben Horowitz’s The Hard Thing About Hard Things, and while both were great reads, they mainly focus on anecdotal experiences…nothing like the detailed road map you have laid out.”
— Brendan Rafalski, Asst. Portfolio Manager at Barrow Street
“Profit Principle #4: Taking charge of the money and controlling it is the key to any successful business. Many business owners fail to recognize…that the money can disappear just as quickly as it arrives, and reinvestment into the business is an essential element of success.”
— Alicia Chasse, Controller at Innovative Design Engineering Assoc. (IDEA)
“I enjoyed this sample chapter–I found it clear and concise, and the step-by-step guidance you provide to the potential entrepreneur is well illustrated with examples from your experience with USI.”
— Justin Christopher, MBA Candidate at Harvard Business School
“First, I have to say I fell into your story immediately as it reminded me about my dream of owning and running my own business. The first chapter is not only motivating, but also full of important factors that could lead to a successful new business start-up.”
— Shane Guan MCR, Customer Business Director, APJ at Johnson Controls
“As a business leader, every bit of material for starting, emerging, and growing a business is good food. I like simple, focus on Who we are, What we do, and Why we do it, fits most formats, Keep up the great work.”
— Jeff Fortin, CEO, Founder-Entrepreneur
“I read the (“PreRelease Snapshot”) preview of your book…Very well done. I’m looking forward to buying the book once it’s out. You have a lot of good advice to offer on the topic.”
— Mike Harris, President – Technology at Lindsay Corporation
“Skip McLaughlin’s ‘The Purpose is Profit’ is essential to budding entrepreneurs in need of a blue print to start and successfully manage a business. The book skillfully maneuvers readers through the startup maze and offers alternative plans that will help establish a new business.”
— Harry Thomas, Diplomat in Residence/Adjunct Professor at Arizona State University
“I had the opportunity to work on Ed’s team, and his advice is based on hard won experience. He built a powerhouse business in the very competitive commercial real estate services market. This is real world experience that is being conveyed, not theory that you hear from so many others.”
— Fred Schmidt, President and COO at Coldwell Banker Commercial
“Excellent. It is a solid nuts and bolts book that inspires the ‘dream’ while providing sound business methodology. You write what you know, from quantifiable experience, and you’ve been stunningly successful.”
— Paula M. Parker, Business Alchemist, Greater Boston Area, Management Consulting
“I want to tell all entrepreneurs that this is a must read. [The Ten Commandments of Startup Profit] clarified many aspects of the business that I did not understand. I look forward to the full book as this one chapter was a wealth of knowledge.”
— Josh Crandal, Owner, Closet Renovations
“You write with an engaging style that is quite appealing. The real strength of your text, however, is in the story of your journey toward entrepreneurship and the various push/pulls that occurred along the way… I will suggest your book to my entrepreneurship students.”
— Robbie Kunkel, Entrepreneurship Consultant, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
“I have read the PreRelease Snapshot of your upcoming book “The Purpose Is Profit: The Truth about Starting and Building Your Own Business,” and I must say it is practical and something most aspiring entrepreneurs can relate to. I love it and look forward to its launch.”
— Nana Sono-Koree, PhD, Biotechnology Professional
“Thank you for the valuable information. A person in the decision phase of starting his or her own business would be inspired by every written word.”
— Jacque Freeman, Sales Manager at CBS Radio, Charlotte, North Carolina, Broadcast Media
“‘The Purpose is Profit’ book will become one of the required “bibles” for every start-up company.”
— James Peter Krasnow, Investor Relations at US Funding, Inc.
“Ed McLaughlin’s book ‘The Purpose Is Profit’ is an excellent guide for entrepreneurs at any stage of the game. I’ll be encouraging my clients to read this book.”
— Dan Tefft, Sustainable Business Developer & Capital Coach, Greater New York City Area, Capital Markets
“Even though I work for a not-for-profit, profit principles are just as important for achieving success in any programmatic enterprise. The concepts of building a ‘war chest’ for future investments is so key for the growth of any business, and I particularly liked the profit principle of ‘behaving ethically, and profits will follow.’”
— Roseann Fitzgerald, Senior Research for Strategic Initiatives, College of the Holy Cross
“The 10 Commandments are simple, yet actionable with huge value/risk if followed, or not.”
— Steve Sanchez, Senior Director Operations – Process Engineering, DHL
“I read (in fact twice) ‘The Ten Commandments of Startup Profit!’ They are the steps to success. The way they were articulated is excellent. Particularly, Recognizing and Hiring the ‘Lightning in a Bottle’ and the last point of doing things Ethically.”
— Manidhar Devineni CEO – Broadcast Media – India
“I believe that your book will be able to help entrepreneurs achieve the discipline and systems needed to grow and scale, and balance this with the other personal, ethical, social aspects.”
— Gregorie Perez, Senior Executive in Social Entrepreneurship and Development
“Really liked the concept of 3 categories Profit, Proof & Potential and 21 steps distributed over these 3 categories…I find your story very inspiring!!”
— Jeevan Maringanti, Sales Operations, Hyderabad Area, India
“The Startup Roadmap…take[s] what seems to be a long hard battle and put[s] it into context and validate[s] it with the help of your step-by-step guide…I will definitely be purchasing ‘The Purpose of Profit’ because it is important to have ‘meaning’ behind the things we do and you are giving us that ‘meaning’.”
— Andrew Markwell, IHZ Consulting Pty Ltd, Australia
“Well written, Ed. This needs to be a part off every training session for franchisees or business start-ups. It is a road map to the correct process and procedures that need to be taken at the start of every new business venture.”
— Larry Reilly, Retired from Automotive Business – Consultant
“Many entrepreneurs need guidelines such as you have written about in the early start-up of their business. I don’t know of anyone who couldn’t use some common sense advice when starting any business, not just in the entrepreneurial world. Keep up the good work, Ed!”
— Chris Hollis, Marketing Consultant and Teacher, SendOutCards.com
Endorsements for The Purpose Is Profit
— Barbara Corcoran, Shark Tank Investor and Founder, The Corcoran Group
“There are no shortcuts. Startup success requires a solid business model, disciplined execution, and a profound commitment. ‘The Purpose Is Profit’ provides blueprints and tools entrepreneurs need to start and scale a business.”
— Joel Peterson, Chairman, jetBlue Airways & Consulting Professor, Stanford Business School
“Unlike so many books on entrepreneurship, ‘The Purpose Is Profit’ gets at the nub of what it takes to build a successful business. Ed talks the talk, and walks the walk, about the importance of factoring profit into every business decision.”
– Larry King, Worldwide Television and Radio Host
“’The Purpose Is Profit’ provides the formula for scaling a business from startup to Inc. 500 – and takes you into the board room for the sale to a Fortune 100. The book shares the inside story and the hard lessons every entrepreneur needs to know, covering both failure and success.”
— Bill Teuber, Vice Chairman, EMC Corporation
“Ed’s book isn’t just about profit – it’s about following your inner voice and your destiny. It’s about succeeding through integrity and giving back. It will put you on the path to responsible prosperity.”
— Rohan Marley, Chairman, Marley Coffee
“This is an excellent book. ‘The Purpose Is Profit’ powerfully describes the principles profitable businesses must follow and how failure to adhere to every one of those principles takes a business owner over that fine line into unprofitability. The book is exceptionally practical and candid, since, alongside his success story, one of the authors freely describes what caused his other start-up business to fail.”
— Michael Critelli, Entrepreneur and former Chairman & CEO, Pitney Bowes
“’The Purpose Is Profit’ will resonate with anyone who wants to start their own business. Each chapter puts you inside the startup machine – challenging you to turn the levers and gears to your own advantage. Anyone who wants to mitigate the startup risk should read this book.”
— Don Froude, former President, The Personal Advisors Group of Ameriprise Financial
“’The Purpose Is Profit’ is both entertaining and educational. It is like getting an MBA in entrepreneurship in 300 pages. This is a must-read book for any aspiring entrepreneur.”
— Maggie Wilderotter, Chairman & CEO, The Grand Reserve Inn
“Ed McLaughlin’s book, ‘The Purpose Is Profit,’ is a powerful guide for entrepreneurs at any stage. It combines the inside story with the tools you need to build a profitable business. I’ll be encouraging everyone with a startup dream to read this book.”
— John “Randy” MacDonald, former COO & CFO of TD Ameritrade
“I run an entrepreneurially driven group within a large organization and have asked our team to read the book and share five key takeaways they will use to transform our business. I am betting on a 5% increase in year-over-year growth across my team from implementing the advice in ‘The Purpose is Profit.’”
— Pamela Newman, President & CEO, The Newman Group, Aon Risk Solutions
“As the first customer to introduce corporate real estate outsourcing while I was at Baxter Healthcare, it was obvious Ed and I were creating something new and disruptive. We were constantly learning and adapting to make this breakthrough idea work. ‘The Purpose Is Profit’ captures the energy, the work ethic, and the persistence every entrepreneur needs to create and build a successful new venture.”
— Bill Agnello, former SVP & Executive Officer, Workplace Resources at Sun Microsystems
“’The Purpose Is Profit’ is a very accessible account of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur, and – importantly – what it takes to fail successfully. Learning from the personal accounts in this book, an aspiring entrepreneur can well understand the nature of the journey (s)he is embarked upon. I highly recommend it.”
— Polly Black, Professor of Practice, Business and Entrepreneurship, Wake Forest University
“‘The Purpose Is Profit’ is direct and honest. It makes no excuses about the hard knocks you’ll face in building your own business. The book puts you in the shoes of the entrepreneur, conveying the good, the bad, and the ugly of what it takes to scale your own business.”
— Mykalai Kontilai, Founder, Collectors Café, and former Owner, Nightly Business Report
“If experience is the best teacher, then ‘The Purpose is Profit’ is your best bet to learn from Ed McLaughlin, who has been there and done that, how to start and build a successful company from the ground up.”
— Henry DePhillips, MD, FAAFP, Chief Medical Officer, Teladoc, Inc.
“Building a business is one of the most rewarding, yet challenging experiences of a lifetime. If you are planning to start a business, why not mitigate your risk by reading ‘The Purpose Is Profit?’ No one can promise instant success, but following the proven roadmap in this book will substantially increase your probability of startup success.”
— Bill Scheller, President & CEO, BlackHawk Industrial
“’The Purpose Is Profit’ takes the contrarian view on growth at any cost. Through a well-written and engaging narrative it highlights the advantages of focusing on the fundamental but sometimes forgotten business principles of customer service, team building, sales and profitable growth vs. pursuing exponential growth at the risk of losing control. These are worthy considerations for every entrepreneur, particularly in the face of a changing investment environment.”
— Vincent Ponzo, Senior Director, Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center, Columbia Business School