Currently reading this book, The High Performance Entrepreneur by Subroto Baghchi. To me this book although simple is great just because it quotes Indian examples of strategy, planning & the road to success. It is a no nonsense book that gives you the facts straight out without the usual sugar-coated writing style.

Most of the books that we usually read on entrepreneurship are of westerners. This is also used as an escapism because we justify their success with access to facilities that are available in the west, governmental support to people without jobs, etc.

Looking forward to Subroto Bagchis' next book.

Another interesting article by Steve Pavlina. It is interesting for me to read this as Exit Design is a small design firm and is run by a team who is more driven with the idea of self-employment.

Read 10 Stupid Mistakes Made by the Newly Self-Employed

As designers, we all are expected to be 'creative' at all times! People assume that accessing the creative person inside us is as simple as using a vending machine - put a design brief into the slot and get a creative idea out of the delivery box. But it isn't that easy. Anyone in the creative industry will tell you that it takes effort, discipline & a well defined process to come out with that 'big idea'.

An interesting article that I found on Steve Pavlinas' blog addresses this issue by listing out a few pointers that help catalyse the creative productivity.

1. Define a clear purpose
2. Identify a compelling motive
3. Architect a worthy challenge
4. Provide a conducive environment
5. Allocate a committed block of time
6. Prevent interruptions and distractions
7. Master your tools

Read the entire article here with explanations and anecdotes for each of these 7 points.