Testimonials

  • "As a founder and first-time CEO, I'm always searching for helpful strategic and tactical counsel. Brett is best-in-class and has seen it all. Besides his professional expertise, and I can speak from first-hand experience, Brett is a great human being and a model startup leader. Reading this book is like having Brett on your advisory board. It's a complete startup playbook, it's so helpful, and it's something I continually reference as I learn, build, and grow on my startup journey. Thank you Brett for sharing your lessons with the startup world."

    - Noah Zandan
    CEO and Co-Founder, Quantified.ai

  • “Brett Hurt has proven to be an outstanding investor, mentor, and friend to me and to dozens or hundreds of other local entrepreneurs over the years. His role as a leader and champion in the Austin entrepreneurial ecosystem cannot be overstated. The Entrepreneur’s Essentials is a valuable and immensely practical guidebook born of years of experience that I and others have used to great benefit. Strong recommend!”

    - Bret Boyd
    Co-founder and CEO, Sustainment

  • "Whether you're a first-time entrepreneur or a multi-exit founder, there are foundational truths and practical tactics to be learned in Brett's startup bible, The Entrepreneur's Essentials. From fundraising to building company culture, Brett draws upon 30 years of operating experience to give founders an indispensable framework to navigate the startup seas."

    - Allen Tsai
    Founder and CEO, Pani Systems

  • “I first met Brett cold calling him when I was an analyst at Bessemer Venture Partners in 2005. I stayed in touch with him and eventually he let me invest in him at the start of Lead Edge Capital in the spring of 2008. Brett is an entrepreneur like no other. Hard work, persistent and remarkable at follow-up. I also put him in the less than 1% bucket of entrepreneurs who truly communicate with investors about the progress of their companies….I wish more entrepreneurs would learn this from Brett!”

    - Mitchell Green
    Founder and Managing Partner, Lead Edge Capital

  • “Brett's wisdom comes from a combination of hard work, his own entrepreneurial journeys, helping a vast community of entrepreneurs, and deep reflection of what works and doesn't. For those of us that have been lucky enough to benefit from his advice and sage counsel, it's been a superpower in building our own companies and organizations. Thanks to his writing, it's distilled into a must read for anyone who wants to build or create something new.”

    - DJ Patil
    Serial entrepreneur and former U.S. Chief Data Scientist

  • “This book should be required reading for every entrepreneur. The lessons contained herein have positively and substantially impacted my journey as a founder & CEO. Whether you are a multi-exit founder or just getting started, Brett’s practical, actionable, and easy-to-understand advice will help you write your own success story.”

    - Arlo Gilbert
    Founding CEO, Osano

  • “The Entrepreneur’s Essentials is a trove of essential wisdom and critical lessons for any aspiring entrepreneur, whether you’re contemplating your first start up or working on your 6th. Throughout the book, Brett Hurt shares his own inspiring stories from a life in the trenches as a serial entrepreneur as well as the intimate stories of other entrepreneurs he’s known and studied over the years. His approach is vulnerable, practical, and inspiring. The book is well organized and reader-friendly, with chapter titles that allow the reader to easily move around to find the advice they are most interested in.”

    - Clayton Christopher
    Co-founder, CAVU Venture Partners, Waterloo Sparkling Water, Deep Eddy Vodka, and Sweet Leaf Tea

  • “I know many entrepreneurs that have had a successful outcome once, and even a rare few who have done it twice. But there is no one I know who racks up win after win like Brett Hurt does. Instead of resting on his laurels, he shares his secrets in The Entrepreneur’s Essentials. This latest edition is a masterpiece, packed full of thousands of things Brett learned the hard way but freely shares with us.”

    - Byron Reese
    CEO, Scissortail.AI and Author, The Fourth Age

  • “After helping grow and sell a billion-dollar business as the CFO/COO, I have spent the last 27 years coaching over 12,000 CEO's and their direct reports. I have worked with and built a dear friendship with Brett over the last 14 years and have not only come to admire his unbelievable entrepreneurial instincts but his true passion for sharing what he has learned in the arena. I have devoured 1000's of business books, articles, podcasts, and trainings. For the most part, it has all been educational entertainment. On occasion, I have felt inspired by what I read or heard but for the most part, it has all been rich with theory and short on practical advice that was relatable and most importantly, actionable. Most of the time implementing the advice felt like wrestling with a ghost and left me feeling frustrated or wondering why the advice did not work for me? This is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE of Brett's book, The Entrepreneur's Essentials. Brett's book is short on theory and rich with real world, practical, and actionable guidance/examples for anyone who is, who wants to be or dreams of one day becoming an entrepreneur. The Entrepreneur's Essentials is like a field guide for any entrepreneur who knows it is lonely but wants an experienced and trusted sherpa by their side. You could read this book from cover to cover and get a tremendous level of insight from it but if you want to have it come alive, keep it close, refer to it often, and when the issues that growth and success show up, turn to The Entrepreneur's Essentials as your virtual sherpa to help you not only get to the top but to stay there...which is actually harder than just getting to the top. Thank you Brett for paying it forward with The Entrepreneur's Essentials!”

    - Kirk Dando
    CEO, Dando Advisors, and Author, Predictive Leadership: Avoiding the 12 Critical Mistakes That Derail Growth-Hungry Companies

  • “Brett is much more than a serial entrepreneur with multiple wins and a prolific investor. First and foremost, he gives much more than he takes, and the world is truly better off because of him. Brett has a genuine interest in helping others to be successful. He really is pulling for so many others and he makes his learnings, his time, and his resources available even when it is inconvenient to do so. It would be easy to keep these things to himself (as some business and technology leaders do), but Brett is intentional about supporting others, especially those who are willing to put in the hard work. As The Entrepreneur’s Essentials proves, Brett is especially dedicated to connecting with, encouraging, and mentoring the future generations of founders. We have been extremely fortunate to have gotten to know Brett since we moved to Austin more than a decade ago to attend graduate school at Brett’s alma mater, The University of Texas. We were constantly surprised by how willing he was to answer our questions (even the most novice ones) and proactively introduce us to other innovators who continue to influence, support, and advise us many years later. His words and endorsement mean a lot because he has cultivated his reputation through doing the hard work, leading and inspiring innovation, and treating others well. Brett knows that he has a unique perspective as a successful founder and investor as well as a one-of-a-kind network of some of the most accomplished doers and thought leaders. As a B Corp founder who also makes investment bets on early-stage impact startups that serve a greater purpose than shareholder wealth-creation, Brett has put his time and money where his heart is, using his resources and platform as forces for good whose value to society may take many decades or even generations to manifest. When Brett and his wife Debra invested in the startup we co-founded, Boutiq, it was very special to know they believed in us. But what we still value the most are the words of wisdom Brett shares in his Lucky7 blog, text messages, or coffee chats. And now much of that wisdom is available in this book for so many more entrepreneurs, investors, or “startup curious” people the world over, forever preserved for posterity. Thank you, Brett, it continues to be a great privilege to learn from you and have you in our corner. #HookEm”

    - Rena Pacheco-Theard & Dan Driscoll
    Co-founders, Boutiq (boutiq.co || @boutiq)

  • “Brett Hurt is one of the most insightful serial entrepreneurs whose success has materially helped lay the groundwork for what is today’s hottest startup and tech community, Austin, TX. The Entrepreneur’s Essentials is mandatory for any entrepreneur considering a new venture. I consider Brett to be one of most valuable confidants for both personal and professional life. Through this book, his key fundamentals are available as a roadmap on building a company as well as emotional preparation needed to navigate this journey.”

    - Bernie Brenner
    CEO, Rollick, and Author, The Sumo Advantage: Leveraging Business Development to Team with Heavyweights and Grow in Any Economy

  • “I have known Brett since my Walmart.com days in 2000 when I was one of his first customers at Coremetrics. I have also been involved with data.world since the beginning and have had the privilege of getting to see Brett lead the company. He is, without question, one of the best CEOs I’ve ever known, and his wisdom about how to build and scale companies is invaluable to others seeking to build great companies. If you want to get sage advice on team building, product architecture, finding product-market fit, scaling, and great culture, look no further than this extraordinary book.”

    - Jason Pressman
    Managing Director, Shasta Ventures

  • “Brett is a ‘been there, done that’ entrepreneur, and this book is generously practical. Jobs and Musk are the most lauded names in our business, but Hurt will be synonymous with actionable value.”

    - Ari Jacoby
    Founder and CEO, Deduce

  • “Brett has been a great Board Director for us, sharing his hard-earned entrepreneurial insights to enable CoPilot to go further faster. Now everyone can access these gems through his new book.”

    - Pat Ryan
    Founder and CEO, CoPilot (copilotsearch.com)

  • "Having popularized some of the most foundational technologies of the internet age (online reviews with Bazaarvoice, data collaboration with data.world, and more), Brett Hurt speaks from experience and authority when advising entrepreneurs like myself. I've shared many coffees, breakfasts, and phone calls with Brett over the years learning from his experience while trying to follow the example he's set both in business and the community. In writing The Entrepreneur’s Essentials Brett has effectively shared these ‘coffee talks’ with the world allowing an entire generation of entrepreneurs to take his practical advice and apply it to their own companies. This book has become a regular reference for me and is a must-read recommendation to my fellow founders and entrepreneurs."

    - Andrew Eye
    Co-founder and CEO, ClosedLoop.ai

  • “Brett's approach to entrepreneurship begins with a belief that the best way to create a world-changing business is to Alway Be Learning. Just as the innovations that will change the world can't be predicted, only discovered, the innovators behind those breakthroughs need to go through a process of exploration to even contemplate an ‘unreasonable’ future. Brett's The Entrepreneur's Essentials takes you on that personal journey and encompasses all of life's experiences - management, family, community, and self-education. Success as an entrepreneur is never as simple or singular as having a great business idea. The road is long and without a complete dedication to the craft of entrepreneurship, the vicissitudes of the journey can easily derail the best laid out plan. The Entrepreneur's Essentials provides that life guide, honed over decades as a serial entrepreneur and student of work-life balance. The essentials in Brett’s book are not the memoirs of a successful business leader as much as a tribute to the thought leaders, mentors, and executives that have been most influential in helping him become the closest thing to a “renaissance entrepreneur” that I’ve encountered in my 30 years of investing.”

    - Scott Booth
    Chairman, Tech Pioneers Fund; Co-founder, Lead Edge Capital; Founder, Eastern Advisors

  • “Let me tell you a story about Brett Hurt and my interactions with him…. Whenever I ask for help or advice he makes time in his very busy schedule for me. He always has perfect advice and grounds it in real-world experience. Not some theory but rather this is what I have done in the past and here are some options to think about. Aside from all that, Brett is the ultimate positive support needed at the right time and place. He was the first person to help me with my seed round pitch deck that ultimately turned into a unicorn pitch deck. He was that guy that said you have a billion-dollar business in the making. He was the guy that pointed me in the right direction from the very beginning with very genuine and compassionate support backed with his experience and knowledge. I owe a large part of my company’s success to Brett and will be forever grateful.”

    - Ross Buhrdorf
    Founder and CEO, ZenBusiness

  • “Brett is the epitome of an innovator, a creator, and an entrepreneur. He has done it time and time again. Brett has shared incredibly valuable advice to me over the years, I only wish he had put this all down sooner. I still go back and read these essentials, and think I will regardless of where I am on my journey. These antidotes are fitting for every stage - for investors, builders, or anyone attempting to change the world.”

    - Adam Lyons
    Founder and CEO, Really; Founder, The Zebra

  • “The Entrepreneur’s Essentials is a must-read for any startup founder, growth stage CEO, as well as their committed employees, investors, and anyone seeking to live a journey of meaning! Brett Hurt does a masterful job of sharing the lessons he has learned as a successful serial tech entrepreneur in a way that will not only resonate with your intellect, but with your humanity. Most importantly, the book offers practical frameworks and tactics to navigate the challenging but exhilarating road of an entrepreneur!”

    -Ross Rosenberg
    Chief Strategy Officer at founder-led technology companies and software portfolio company executive (Bain Capital)

  • “As a serial entrepreneur myself, and someone who has read countless books on entrepreneurship, I can definitively say that Brett Hurt's book is one of the best. Most books are filled with generic advice or simple frameworks, but The Entrepreneur's Essentials is chock full of real-life examples and practical case studies. Brett shares what worked for him so that you can distill his learnings and apply them to your own endeavors. If you are an existing or aspiring entrepreneur, this book is for you. You won't regret it!"

    - Dave Liu
    CEO, Liucrative Endeavors and Author, The Way of the Wall Street Warrior: Conquer the Corporate Game Using Tips, Tricks, and Smartcuts

  • “Brett Hurt is a brilliant serial entrepreneur who leads with integrity. The Entrepreneur’s Essentials illustrates not only Brett’s extraordinary business acumen but his principled belief in centering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the company workplace. Against the backdrop of a global pandemic that has introduced new challenges and opportunities to entrepreneurs, this book reminds us of the core values that can lead to a successful business, but also a better world. It’s a must read for all business and thought leaders.”

    - Dr. Peniel Joseph
    Associate Dean, Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI); Founder and Director, Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin; Author, The Third Reconstruction: America's Struggle for Racial Justice in the Twenty-First Century

  • “The Entrepreneur’s Essentials is not a textbook; it’s a handbook. It’s a resource I go back to again and again to seek out the exact advice I need for whatever challenge has come up in my biz. Brett has helped me solve so many problems from which roles to hire when, to negotiating and pricing an investment round, to troubleshooting our lead generation strategies. Brett has the most practical and reliable advice of any mentor in my network. Not only has he scaled multiple software businesses as founder & CEO, but he’s also invested in hundreds of other startups and has really seen what works (and doesn’t).”

    - Suzi Sosa
    CEO and Co-Founder, Verb (goverb.com)

  • “In 1998, I met Brett Hurt when he was starting Coremetrics. He had the crazy notion that ‘some day every retailer would have a website.’ It seems so obvious today, but it wasn’t in 1998. Brett flew across the country to come to my office in New York and although I was at first skeptical of his premise, Brett was the most impressive person I had met in my 16 years on Wall Street. After much thought and discussions about this new business idea and the potential size of the market, 2 days later I wrote Brett a check for $100,000 and within a week, I raised him another $400,000. I like to say I put Coremetrics in business. There were the typical ups and downs of a startup, but Brett had the grit and resilience it took to be successful. That was the beginning of a long journey Brett and I have had together. I was also an early investor in Bazaarvoice and data.world. Coremetrics and Bazaarvoice were core to my thesis around investing in startups as I introduced Brett to new customers, potential partners, or anyone who might be helpful to his companies. It has always been a great partnership as we learned from each other along the way and Brett’s successes gave me more credibility with my venture investing pursuits. Three and a half years ago, I became the CEO of one of my startups, Sightly, which Brett is an investor in. For years, I was giving advice to many entrepreneurs based on my Wall Street business experiences in sales, analytics, and data but I had never run a company. I was going to the dark side and even after investing in 50 plus companies, there was so much that I was clueless about when it came to running a business. I have been turning to Brett for help since I took on this new role as every day is a new challenge. The people part of the business is where I struggle most but even the fundraising piece, where I have helped tons of companies, is not so easy when one is raising money for themselves. On multiple occasions, Brett has made investor introductions when he sees a fit, which is helpful. It has made me realize how important introductions from stakeholders truly are even though I obsessed over helping hundreds of entrepreneurs. One of my greatest joys was funding and listening to young Wharton entrepreneurs before entrepreneurship was a big focus on the Penn campus. Brett gives back to Penn and Wharton in similar ways today. Networking drives success. Brett is the consummate networker, and his connections are vast. It helps him with his own businesses as well as with all his investments. We are very aligned with this concept, and it shows with our mutual LinkedIn connections. If you are starting a business, Brett Hurt is one person you want to connect to. If you are the CEO of a startup, Brett can help you. If you are looking for business advice, Brett is your guy. If you just want a great lifetime friend, nobody is better than Brett!”

    - Ralph Mack
    CEO, Sightly and Founder, Mack Capital

  • “I met Brett in 2005 through the Bootstrap Austin community. Compared to today the ATX entrepreneurial scene was significantly smaller and everyone pretty much knew each other. He had just started Bazaarvoice and I was just starting Boundless. Since then we have both consistently been ‘in the arena’ starting and running companies here in Austin. I have always admired Brett and benefited greatly from his advice, both in person, and through The Entrepreneur's Essentials. He is a relentless student of business and entrepreneurship, and he is generous with his knowledge and advice, beyond what one could possibly expect from someone as busy as Brett. Last year Brett graciously joined our inaugural company event at Gembah, and we had a great fireside chat about the startup journey in general and about how to build category-defining companies in particular. He recommended the book Play Bigger to me, and it is now required reading for all our employees. There are a lot of self-proclaimed gurus out there that provide advice on startups, fundraising, and the entrepreneurial journey. There are few, if any, that have the experience, the thoughtfulness, and genuine desire to help other entrepreneurs become successful as Brett. I highly recommend The Entrepreneur's Essentials. Read it, but more importantly, follow the advice. I guarantee it will make a difference in your entrepreneurial journey.”

    - Henrik Johansson
    Co-founder and CEO, Gembah

  • “I have known Brett as a successful entrepreneur for almost two decades and have referred several of my founders to him as a sounding board. The Entrepreneur's Essentials is a powerful way to scale his advice and impact on entrepreneurship in Texas. It will save a lot of time and tribulations for any aspiring entrepreneur who reads this as they embark on their journey. I've also been amazed at how he has methodically built data.world as one of his proud Series A investors, and it's been an honor to be involved since the beginning, including their acquisition of Capsenta, which was one of our seed bets."

    - Venu Shamapant
    Founding Partner, LiveOak Venture Partners

  • “The Entrepreneur's Essentials is for everyone. Combining wisdom and curiosity, Brett Hurt teaches skill sets that apply to all fields. In my role as rabbi and spiritual leader, I have depended upon the guidance written in Brett's steady hand, especially in times of uncertainty. I have gained courage when pivoting accessibility models that have, in turn, elegantly increased the relevance and outreach of my work. How can spirituality and religious community become must haves for each person? The essential questions of meaning, purpose, and life trajectory are explored here -- sharpening approaches that will assist either in a boardroom or a sanctuary. Bottom line: in my life's work of cultivating and encouraging the best of individuals and communities, buoyed by Brett's wisdom, I know that I am not alone.”

    - Neil F. Blumofe
    Senior Rabbi, Congregation Agudas Achim

  • “Brett has been there with critical advice as I navigate the treacherous first-time Founder & CEO waters. Brett's wisdom cuts to the core of any challenge or opportunity, whether in person or prose. His teachings are coated in a depth of experience that only a multi-time rockstar operator knows. We're all lucky to have that same wisdom captured in this new edition of his book.”

    - Blake Garrett
    Founder and CEO, Aceable

  • “I had the opportunity to work for Brett Hurt while he was marching Bazaarvoice up the hill towards $100 million in revenue and an IPO. What an exciting and insightful experience it was! I’d run small businesses before working for Brett, but being up close was such an amazing educational experience for me and played a key role in me being able to raise funds and build my own startup, Localeur. Brett invested in Localeur early and has seen us grow from Austin to more than 200 cities around the world today, and he’s been a trusted adviser and champion all the way. The Entrepreneur’s Essentials is like getting the cheat code to all Brett’s lessons and so much more from his decades of experience as a successful founder and company builder.”

    - Joah Spearman
    Co-founder and CEO, Localeur

  • “Reading this book has been the highest ROI investment I’ve made in becoming a better CEO. Brett Hurt synthesizes his decades of experience as an operator into tactical and straightforward insights on topics like getting the most out of investors, running quality reference checks on key hires, and everything in-between.”

    - Gautam Bhargava
    Co-founder and CEO, Ender (joinender.com)

  • “Building a startup is a daunting process full of innumerable pitfalls. Brett Hurt is committed to helping founders navigate the issues they will face, from raising capital, and managing large teams, to overcoming their own self-doubts. Without Brett’s mentorship and insights, I may not have had the courage to get back ‘in the arena’ to build my latest company. His counsel and experience have helped me in creating hiring processes, go-to-market strategies, and how to get the most out of my advisors and investors. Brett believes in innovation and wants to see entrepreneurs succeed, and he is now codifying his years of learning and experience so all entrepreneurs can access a guiding light when they inevitably reach one of their dark days. As Brett would say, ‘Dare Greatly!’”

    - Ryan Merket
    Founder and CEO, Momintous

  • “Starting a company is hard work—scaling one is even harder. In The Entrepreneur’s Essentials, Brett Hurt distills his experience and lessons learned as a technology and business leader making them accessible for entrepreneurs at any stage, helping founders and companies navigate their journey from irrelevancy to relevancy to must have. Brett’s words and stories will challenge, educate, and inspire you. The Entrepreneur’s Essentials is a must read for every founder.”

    - Nathan Ryan
    CEO, Blue Sky Partners

  • “The Entrepreneur’s Essentials is a must-read for aspiring and experienced builders. The book is an incredibly thoughtful and thorough playbook from a legendary entrepreneur who has been there and done it all. It’s absolutely mandated reading for the CEO’s we hire through our Venture Studio at Night.”

    - Ezra Cooperstein
    President, Night (https://night.co/) and General Partner, Night Ventures

  • “I've known Brett Hurt since 2000, the beginning of Coremetrics, back when I was running Alphablox and we were both backed as young CEOs by Accel Partners. He was a natural entrepreneur back then and he went on to prove it again at Bazaarvoice and now at data.world. Meanwhile, I invited him to become a Core partner to one of my investments - Salsify. He's been a great asset on their journey, which has so far led them to a $2 billion valuation, and contributed on many levels. Overall, Brett's been an invaluable member of the Underscore Core Community, bringing many of his skills to share with our founders and entrepreneurs. It's therefore great that everyone can now benefit from his lessons learned in The Entrepreneur's Essentials!"

    - Michael Skok
    Co-founder and Partner, Underscore VC

  • “Brett is a rare breed of founder. He operates with complete transparency, the utmost integrity, remarkable grit, and a childlike curiosity. He is energized by lifting up his teammates and partners. When speaking to our founders, I often reference Brett as an example of what entrepreneurial success looks like. Even more importantly, while Brett is a world-class founder who loves to win, he cares even more deeply about helping others win. I strongly recommend reading The Entrepreneur’s Essentials to learn from this true master of his trade.”

    - Adam Zeplain
    Co-founder and Managing Partner, mark vc

  • “Brett has put down on paper everything I’ve ever thought of while mentoring CEOs of tech startups over the past 20 years, and then some. I was lucky enough to have Brett as a ‘mentee’, and in the end, he has done what all mentors hope for, which is to pay it forward – particularly by writing The Entrepreneur’s Essentials. Rather than learning the hard way or trying to find that perfect mentor, Brett has instead taken all his learnings from a career of building successful companies and assembled them together into a step-by-step guide through the different stages of building a successful company. Brett’s guidance is practical, empathic, and spot-on, and takes out much of the mystery of successful entrepreneurship.”

    - Bong Suh
    Serial entrepreneur and CFO, Grabango

  • “Brett is deeply and holistically interested in both the process of entrepreneurship and the people who choose an entrepreneurial path. As a trade association and think-tank founder who sought to repurpose those skills to start and lead an early-stage B2B SaaS venture, I've benefited immensely from his personal mentorship, leadership, and hospitality over the better part of a decade. It is rare for a leader's published work to provide the same value and transmit the same shared passion for building as a personal relationship. Having experienced both, I can say Brett's does.”

    - Hudson Hollister
    Founder and CEO, HData

  • “As is demonstrated in his own words - “For an enterprise to be maximally profitable, it must have a purpose beyond profit.” – Brett Hurt fully understands the invaluable role entrepreneurs play in building a beloved community. This second edition of The Entrepreneur’s Essentials is a gift to us all. Brett’s deep knowledge, passion, vast wisdom, boundless expertise, personal experiences, and heart for what’s right and good make this book so much more than a ‘how-to’ manual. I have seen Brett inspire college students to find meaning in their lives regardless of their career paths. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t benefit from reading this book – including this university president.”

    - Colette Pierce Burnette, Ed.D.
    President and CEO, Huston-Tillotson University

  • “When I think of which entrepreneurs are the most inspiring, I think of Brett Hurt. I’ve had the pleasure of watching Brett build business after business after business. I’ve also had the pleasure of becoming friends with him. For those who don’t get to spend time with Brett, The Entrepreneur’s Essentials is the next best thing. Smart, insightful, and filled to the brim with real tactics and strategies… if you’re starting a business, you need to read this book. If you’re growing your business, you need to read this book. In short: READ THIS BOOK.”

    - Mitch Joel
    Founder, Six Pixels Group and Author, Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete

  • “When founding in building a company, you’re figuring a lot of it out as you go. There is no playbook. There’s a lot of content out there on the initial founding of a company, and the successful exit, but not a lot about the in-between. One of the most helpful resources I’ve found on my entrepreneurial journey that zeros in on the lessons of the building and scaling years is Brett Hurt’s blog, Lucky7. In it, he shares wisdom and experiences around lessons he’s learned (including the hard ones). You get to walk in his shoes of building multiple successful companies, and really bridge the gap on how to get from founding to exit. I wish more entrepreneurs chronicled their journey this way, so we can learn from each other. Brett has been such an inspiration to so many founders here in Austin, and I look forward to his insights and wisdom reaching more entrepreneurs who are also figuring it out as they go!”

    - Adelle Archer
    Co-founder and CEO, Eterneva

  • “Brett has been a game-changer and accelerant for my career as well as me personally as an Advisor and a friend. Having been through the rollercoaster of trenches himself with several entrepreneurial endeavors, Brett is able to cut through the noise and provide sound, practical, and actionable advice that's grounded in reality vs. academia. His direct and to the point approach to business and life has been instrumental in helping me scale Ordergroove while helping our company avoid paying the ‘dumb tax’ on many issues we've faced. On the personal level, Brett has made me a better person and parent as a leader, always providing an authentic and relatable perspective."

    - Greg Alvo
    Founder and CEO, Ordergroove

  • “Brett’s teachings get me the most valuable thing of all: clarity. The clarity to act in the right direction. In this way, he has helped me stay on the yellow brick road as an entrepreneur, without getting distracted by the scarecrow, lion, tinman, and monkeys in the trees.”

    - Jesse Stein
    Founder and CEO, Audience.co

  • “Coming from one of the most successful entrepreneurs, most active angel investors, and most inspiring leaders in Austin, we’re all lucky to have access to Brett Hurt’s newest book. Embracing his framework of meaning & the creative process of entrepreneurship unlocks the startup in all of us. It is a must-read no matter what stage your company is at.”

    - Josh Baer
    Co-founder and CEO, Capital Factory

  • "Brett Hurt knows the essentials of entrepreneurship, and more importantly he knows how those essentials now include a core competency in equity-centered leadership. Counterintuitively, humility may be the most underrated skill for entrepreneurs, especially among those who have already enjoyed success, and particularly among white men. Brett knows this, and more importantly, he shows this, sharing his experience as a lifelong learner, listener, and partner who has increased his effectiveness and the impact of each successive organization he has built. Brett is a mentor and a friend; I highly recommend The Entrepreneur's Essentials."

    - Jay Coen Gilbert
    CEO Imperative 21; Co-founder, B Lab and the B Corporation movement