The Entrepreneurial Spark TM
Recognizing Opportunities and Developing Them Into Viable Businesses.
Now in English!
The Entrepreneurial Spark
The Entrepreneurial SparkTM is a simple and practical way to help recognize and make entrepreneurial opportunities a reality.
Just as heat starts a fire, The Entrepreneurial SparkTM ignites the process of opportunity identification. With the use of examples, practical recommendations, and simple language the book demonstrates:
- How to ignite the entrepreneurial spark
- Ways to identify the entrepreneurial opportunities that surround us
- Strategies to go from business idea to business reality
- Ways to start a business with what’s at hand
Once the entrepreneurial spark is aflame, you will discover what you always imagined: within you resides the entrepreneur that is ready to turn your business into a reality.
Dr. José M. Romaguera
Dr. José M. Romaguera’s thirty-year experience in promoting the development of new businesses is presented in The Entrepreneurial Spark ™ in a simple and direct fashion. Dr. Romaguera has presented his work in support of entrepreneurship development in six continents. His international experience includes having served as President of the International Council for Small Businesses (ICSB) enabling him to have countless conversations with experts in the field from across the globe, fully comprehending all that is related to the process of recognizing entrepreneurial opportunities and turning them into viable businesses. These experiences contributed to the concept of The Entrepreneurial Spark ™ presented in this book.
Dr. Romaguera’s leadership and experience in the subject include his work as the first Executive Director of the Small Business Development Center (PR-SBDC); founder of the Economic Development Center of the University of Puerto Rico and Founding Director of the University’s Business Center (both later merged to become the Business and Economic Development Center); and former Professor and Dean of the College of Business Administration of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. Dr. Romaguera obtained his PhD from the Durham University Business School in England. In the private sector, the author’s experience includes positions at the corporate headquarters of a Fortune 500 company, Marketing Director, Executive Vice-President, and General Manager of The India Brewing Company (currently Cervecera de Puerto Rico), along with an array of consulting jobs for all types of businesses.
Prologue
The Entrepreneurial Spark™ is truly outstanding. This book provides the missing link in entrepreneurship education. We know that opportunity recognition is the heart of entrepreneurship but until now we have had a major gap in our teaching with fragmented and incomplete efforts. This work provides a comprehensive path for our students to recognize opportunities and then take the first steps!
It captures the frontier of entrepreneurship education, with the latest applied thinking to best prepare our students. It shows how to transform a business idea into an entrepreneurial reality. The use of a “spark” metaphor is perfect, and it is carried throughout the book. Rich examples permeate the book and bring the concepts to life for students. Fundamental concepts are beautifully presented such as necessity, connecting, vision, and curiosity. But just when one assumes the core has been presented, Dr. Romaguera takes the process to practical, action-oriented steps, including whether a given business idea fits the individual. Issues concerning market opportunity analysis are addressed, but in a new and insightful way. And the book concludes with a focus on taking the first step with the resources you have–and weighing the role of the fear of risk. And the focus on continually looking for opportunities over time, and having the flexibility to modify one’s enterprise is critically important for our students. A bias toward emphasizing action is equally important.
To conclude, this is a revolutionary book that rises to a new level of relevance and excellence. It will change the lives of our students. José M. Romaguera deserves a huge amount of credit for this ground breaking publication. He is the most creative professor I know, and this book reflects this reality.
Dr. Gerald E. Hills
Note: Dr. Gerald E. Hills, Turner Chair in Entrepreneurship and head of the School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Bradley University is a pioneer in the development of the entrepreneurship discipline. He led the development of an entrepreneurship program at University of Illinois at Chicago that was consistently ranked in the top 10 in the USA. He has written and edited more than 100 entrepreneurship articles and 25 books, was the co-founder and first president of the U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and president of the International Council for Small Business. In addition to his teaching, he strives to change the lives of students through the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization, an association of thousands of college students on 178 university campuses that he founded and still heads. He chaired an advisory board of the U.S. Small Business Administration under President Reagan, and advanced entrepreneurship in Poland through a U.S. congressional commission project.
Praise
Among the top ten recommended readings on Entrepreneurship
JOHN E. HUGHES
Entrepreneur and Chairman
The Coleman Foundation, U.S.A.
“The Entrepreneurial Spark ™ is probably the most articulate book that I have read for distilling the art of identifying and developing business ideas/opportunities and internalizing the entrepreneurial process … good balance of examples of women entrepreneurs, which are often too sorely lacking in entrepreneurship-related books. … It is a very good read and a valuable addition to the available resource material.”
LOIS STEVENSON
Entreprenologist, Ottawa, Canada
“This is a book which distinguishes itself by taking what can be a complex and challenging process and simplifying it. Not only does it simplify, it entertains while it informs. A ‘must read’ for any aspiring entrepreneur.”
PROFESSOR KENNETH O’NEILL
Former President of the UK Institute for Small Business and Enterprise, Holder of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion – Lifetime Achievement Award, United Kingdom
“The Entrepreneurial Spark™ changes the way you think about starting a business. Drawing on his years of experience in entrepreneurship education, Jose has created a true gem and a must read for aspiring entrepreneurs!”
KEN KOH
Director, Talentpreneur Group Pte Ltd, Singapore, Hong Kong, Guangzhou-China
“… motivating and encouraging. The book gives plenty of information [to] help … refine … business ideas, and help … understand that an abundance of resources is not required, but creative ways to replace them is.”
ROBERT H. BROCKHAUS
Chairman, The Brockhaus Group, U.S.A.
“The Entrepreneurial Spark™ sheds light on the inner entrepreneur in all of us. By taking the mystery out of the entrepreneurial process and celebrating the achievements of both women and men, The Entrepreneurial Spark™ broadens the narrative of what it means to be entrepreneurial. We can all use this engaging and accessible guide to set sail on our own entrepreneurial journeys.”
SUSAN G. DUFFY, PHD
Executive Director, The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial
Leadership, Babson College, U.S.A.
“The Entrepreneurial Spark™ has been a key component to successfully catalyze the entrepreneurial spirit in our Architecture students and professors.”
JAVIER DE JESÚS-MARTÍNEZ
Dean School of Architecture, Pontifical Catholic University
of Puerto Rico
“…I like it, it is not a textbook!!!!!!! I like the type and novel way the author tells the stories and the use of real life as the meat of his teaching method.”
FRED KIESNER
The Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship, Loyola Marymount
University, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
“… very interesting and informative. I especially enjoyed the many examples provided of the business opportunity recognition process. The chapter on connecting the dots was great! The whole idea of connecting is so important in the opportunity recognition process. The book is easy to read and adds value to those who are seeking to begin their entrepreneurial journey.”
PROFESSOR DON REIMER
Director, Entrepreneurial Programs, College of Engineering,
Lawrence Technological University, Michigan, U.S.A.
“…extremely interesting, easy to read and useful. It provides the entrepreneurs with valuable tools to take the right decisions and guides them through their first steps.”
URIEL VULEJ
CTO & Founder, Voipli Telecom Industries Ltd., Israel
“…this book will lead an entrepreneur in the right direction. A good read about the right stuff to trigger the idea…”
PROFESSOR ZULMA QUIÑONES, PHD
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San Germán
“… everyone who wants to be an entrepreneur, study entrepreneurship, or even enter business at all, should read this book… [it is ] inspirational to anyone who has considered opening a business (even if they don’t know what type of business they want to open yet).”
JUSTIN VÉLEZ-HAGAN
National Executive Director, The National Puerto Rican Chamber of
Commerce, Washington DC, U.S.A.
“Romaguera is the most entrepreneurial educator I know. The Entrepreneurial Spark™ is the outcome of his years of work in entrepreneurship education in Puerto Rico and overseas.”
COLIN DUNN
Past President Small Enterprise Association Australia and New Zealand (SEAANZ)
“I suppose that the debate as to whether entrepreneurs are born or made will always be there, but one thing is un-doubtable: whatever the personal skills, after reading Romaguera’s book one has more and better probabilities of doing so successfully.”
A. SOUSA-POZA
Advisor and former Academic Director,
Polytechnic Institute, Tete, Mozambique, Africa
“… a pleasant read, easy to understand, can be applied to the real world, and as such will ignite many “sparks” that will give rise to many entrepreneurial initiatives from its readers. The examples and the “in conclusion” sections in each chapter, create a sequence that totally unveils the secrets of entrepreneurial success.”
RODRIGO VARELA VILLEGAS, PHD
Director Center for Entrepreneurship Development,
Universidad Icesi, Colombia, South America
“… allows you to see the process of transforming a simple idea into a business concept … [debunks] many of the existing myths about how difficult or impossible developing an entrepreneurial opportunity can be…”
CARMEN M. BERRÍOS DELGADO, PHD
Associate Professor, University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
“… amazes in its simplicity and its graphic presentation, but its content is also impressive … already forms part of the select group … of mandatory reading for any person who wishes to become an entrepreneur.”
PROF. DR. RUBÉN ANDRÉS ASCÚA
Professor in various universities (in Argentina and Germany),
President of Red Pymes Mercosur, Argentina
“… [it helps you to] comprehend that the spark to be an entrepreneur is in all of us … [it] teaches us that the curiosity, the vision, and the ability to connect necessities with opportunities are indispensable ingredients that turn that spark into an entrepreneurial reality…”
EDGAR SOTO-RODRÍGUEZ, PHD
Associate Professor, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
“… exposes in a simple and easy way the essential aspects of entrepreneurship that many would consider to be extremely complex.”
DR. MORAIMA DE HOYOS-RUPERTO
Assistant Professor, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
“… it is an excellent text. I like the many case studies and the use of [techniques for] developing new ideas.”
ROGER LA SALLE
Director La Salle Matrix Thinking, Australia
“… allows the reader to understand the challenges and risks of new business ventures…The historical references and business cases … [provides] first-hand knowledge [of] real businesses.”
JUAN VILLETA-TRIGO
Economist and Professor, Sacred Heart University, Puerto Rico
“If you’ve ever dreamed of starting your own business but have struggled with discovering an opportunity or deciding what opportunity to exploit, then look no further. José M. Romaguera has filled this book with simple yet powerful tools to unleash your creativity and generate ideas ready for development.”
JAVIER MONLLOR, PHD
Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, DePaul University
Chicago, U.S.A.
“… a book that gives you the “urge” to keep reading it … that “provokes” all the senses… that leads to creation and imagination … an experience for those who want to imagine and create. Every time I read The Entrepreneurial Spark™ I learn something new.”
NELSON REYES-DEL VALLE
Specialist in microbusiness, incubation, and community
based economic development, Puerto Rico
“In my 51 years of being an entrepreneur I don’t remember having read a book that impressed me more for its language, simplicity, dynamic, and such valuable content, than the book you hold in your hands.
If I would have had that wealth of directions and valuable ideas at hand while I was zealously seeking to become a successful entrepreneur, my journey would have been much easier and definitely more pleasant.”
EFRAIN D. VASALLO RUIZ, Engineer
Founder and creator of more than a dozen businesses, and recipient of the Businessman of the Year Award from the President of the United Sates.
“José M. Romaguera takes an original and stimulating look at the entrepreneurial process. He has addressed the subject creatively, to give his readers a real taste for entrepreneurship. His idea of using the sparks concept was brilliant. It helps show how entrepreneurs must organize their thinking as a basis for action. This book offers everything a prospective entrepreneur needs to be successful.”
LOUIS JACQUES FILION, PhD
Rogers-J.A. Bombardier Professor of Entrepreneurship
HEC- School of Business, University of Montreal
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