The Entrepreneur Mindset: the art of making ideas happen
16 October 2023

A Review by Lucy Davison FMRS

The Entrepreneur Mindset is available on Amazon

As someone who once got into an argument on social media over the concept of a ‘growth mindset’ (I thought it was new-Age psychobabble; he did not!), I approached DVL Smith’s new book with some trepidation.

Having read The Entrepreneur Mindset, I can safely say that it will be an enormous help to anyone with a great idea, who is itching to launch a business, but does not know where to start. In particular, for anyone wanting to start a small business (examples Smith includes are restaurants, bookshops, small hotels and beauty therapists) this book will get you from a blank sheet of paper to a healthy balance sheet. It will be particularly helpful at re-setting (see what I did there?) your energy and inspiration if you have tried, but so far failed to get your idea off the ground. It also contains invaluable practical advice for anyone running an already established company.

Written in a clear, conversational and unassuming style, there are seven sections. These take you from setting your direction, vision and goals, to cultivating mental resilience, taking decisive action, applying clear thinking, being different, being influential and delivering high performance. Each section contains highlights, quotes, examples, questions and recommended actions. It’s an easy book to dip in and out of, as the writing is kept short and punchy with lots of bullets and pull-out quotes and advice.

Not surprisingly, as it is written by someone who has had a long and distinguished career in market research, it is especially valuable on listening to and integrating customer needs. 

I found the sections on strategic excellence, being influential and in particular, the segment on being different, to be incredibly helpful and reflective of the advice we give clients all the time. Smith has galvanized years of experience in running businesses and coaching entrepreneurs here. By encouraging readers to think of themselves as a brand, to challenge their biases and to make informed decisions, he provides great advice based on long-term insight into how brands work and how to harness that for your own business.

Overall, "The Entrepreneur Mindset" is a valuable guide to starting and running a company. If you are looking to unleash or rekindle your inner entrepreneur this is an excellent place to start. The tools will help you think through what you need to do and will help you make it happen. By using these frameworks to guide your behaviour and decision-making, you can go from being an incipient entrepreneur with your idea stewing inside you to an accomplished businessperson.