Ex Dragons Den judge, Rachel Elnaugh exclusively uncovers the moments when she and other business personalities hit crisis point. Contains Rachel's truthful account of the much-publicised crash of Red Letter Days. She then boldly interviews business celebrities such as Jeffery Archer, Donald Trump, Stelios, Karan Billamoria, the Innocent boys, Ivan Massow and many more, about their darkest times in business. Business Nightmares exposes, through detailed and insightful profiles how even the mightiest business people were fallible and did not make it plain sailing; that all business go through bad times but can still come out the other side and be hugely successful. The author, Rachel Elnaugh is the epitome of a ‘successful failure’ in that she was running the hugely profitable Red Letter Days, and lost it. Highly exposed in the media due to her celebrity status on the Dragons Den, Rachel became the scapegoat for the crash of this business. For the first time, you can hear Rachel’s side of the story, exclusively and honestly, in Business Nightmares. The book is written in a series of revealing interviews and delves into the darkest business moments of many massive business personalities, divulging what really went wrong, how the events unfolded, how they felt and how they emerged from the crisis and what they learned from their experience.
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A valuable check-list of what not to do in business, and how to create plans for worst-case scenarios --Esquire
Elnaugh talks frankly about her fall from grace --Virgin Radio
A warning of the bear traps that wait in line for business owners --Stephanie Welstead, Growing Business magazine
Elnaugh talks frankly about her fall from grace --Virgin Radio
A warning of the bear traps that wait in line for business owners --Stephanie Welstead, Growing Business magazine
Book Description
Successful entrepreneurs get it wrong too!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I picked up this book a little warily. Was I going to read a book written by a huge ego saying "I was wronged!!" whose only reading pleasure can be in Schadenfreude - the pleasure taken from observing the misery of another ? Or would I genuinely learn something about business gaffes and see past the television image to the person behind a venture that, in its time, had given pleasure to millions and had made millions. How does someone survive not just a business collapse but a business collapse which happened when she was a key public figure advising on entrepreneurship in a hit BBC television programme?
Within a few pages I was gripped - this was not an ego on speed but an honest, self-critical, funny and insightful book on what not to do when setting up a business. And also on what to do - for remember that Rachel set up a business at the age of 24 which went from zero to an £18 million pound turnover making millions of pounds of profit for everyone along the way. It failed because Rachel took the advice of management consultants and bankers - at a time when she had fallen a little out of love with her creation.
This is a "right brain" book - showing you how emotional intelligence coupled with a good idea and a hawk eye on the bottom line can flip you from dreaming into doing. It is very well written, teaching its lessons and insights through "war stories", the voices of successful entrepreneurs who have made awful mistakes and learnt from them. It teaches you by osmosis.
I learnt a lot from it and it was a book which gave me hope. If in this Depression you are sitting wondering whether to bootstrap your dream and take the risks inherent in starting a business then this book must be on your reading list.... Read more ›
Within a few pages I was gripped - this was not an ego on speed but an honest, self-critical, funny and insightful book on what not to do when setting up a business. And also on what to do - for remember that Rachel set up a business at the age of 24 which went from zero to an £18 million pound turnover making millions of pounds of profit for everyone along the way. It failed because Rachel took the advice of management consultants and bankers - at a time when she had fallen a little out of love with her creation.
This is a "right brain" book - showing you how emotional intelligence coupled with a good idea and a hawk eye on the bottom line can flip you from dreaming into doing. It is very well written, teaching its lessons and insights through "war stories", the voices of successful entrepreneurs who have made awful mistakes and learnt from them. It teaches you by osmosis.
I learnt a lot from it and it was a book which gave me hope. If in this Depression you are sitting wondering whether to bootstrap your dream and take the risks inherent in starting a business then this book must be on your reading list.... Read more ›
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I picked up this book a little warily. Was I going to read a book written by a huge ego saying "I was wronged!!" whose only reading pleasure can be in Schadenfreude - the pleasure taken from observing the misery of another ? Or would I genuinely learn something about business gaffes and see past the television image to the person behind a venture that, in its time, had given pleasure to millions and had made millions. How does someone survive not just a business collapse but a business collapse which happened when she was a key public figure advising on entrepreneurship in a hit BBC television programme?
Within a few pages I was gripped - this was not an ego on speed but an honest, self-critical, funny and insightful book on what not to do when setting up a business. And also on what to do - for remember that Rachel set up a business at the age of 24 which went from zero to an £18 million pound turnover making millions of pounds of profit for everyone along the way. It failed because Rachel took the advice of management consultants and bankers - at a time when she had fallen a little out of love with her creation.
This is a "right brain" book - showing you how emotional intelligence coupled with a good idea and a hawk eye on the bottom line can flip you from dreaming into doing. It is very well written, teaching its lessons and insights through "war stories", the voices of successful entrepreneurs who have made awful mistakes and learnt from them. It teaches you by osmosis.
I learnt a lot from it and it was a book which gave me hope. If in this Depression you are sitting wondering whether to bootstrap your dream and take the risks inherent in starting a business then this book must be on your reading list.... Read more ›
Within a few pages I was gripped - this was not an ego on speed but an honest, self-critical, funny and insightful book on what not to do when setting up a business. And also on what to do - for remember that Rachel set up a business at the age of 24 which went from zero to an £18 million pound turnover making millions of pounds of profit for everyone along the way. It failed because Rachel took the advice of management consultants and bankers - at a time when she had fallen a little out of love with her creation.
This is a "right brain" book - showing you how emotional intelligence coupled with a good idea and a hawk eye on the bottom line can flip you from dreaming into doing. It is very well written, teaching its lessons and insights through "war stories", the voices of successful entrepreneurs who have made awful mistakes and learnt from them. It teaches you by osmosis.
I learnt a lot from it and it was a book which gave me hope. If in this Depression you are sitting wondering whether to bootstrap your dream and take the risks inherent in starting a business then this book must be on your reading list.... Read more ›
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him discover it within himself.
24 Oct 2009
By Darcy
Format:Paperback
I am not sure where I stand with this book, yet hats off to Rachel, for being totally honest and highlighting some of the mistakes she made whilst running her business. This book takes a different approach from the usual success stories we have become accustomed to reading.
The book reminds me of the saying, "He who fails to plan, plans to fail", yet as Rachel cleverly highlights, sometimes it is impossible to plan the way things eventually work out, especially when it comes to uncooperative banks, finance, competitors, staff and babies.
Yet, there are several key points, which will be very helpful for new businesses/entrepreneurs, topics such as: How to build a good team, market research, appointing the best advisers and much more.
If you are planning to start a company, then I would recommend you read this book with an open mind and try and learn from the mistakes of the persistent entrepreneurs that were interviewed for this book, yet with all things in life, one needs to take action and make things happen. If you end up becoming successful by avoiding the mistakes highlighted in this book, then it will be money well spent.
The book reminds me of the saying, "He who fails to plan, plans to fail", yet as Rachel cleverly highlights, sometimes it is impossible to plan the way things eventually work out, especially when it comes to uncooperative banks, finance, competitors, staff and babies.
Yet, there are several key points, which will be very helpful for new businesses/entrepreneurs, topics such as: How to build a good team, market research, appointing the best advisers and much more.
If you are planning to start a company, then I would recommend you read this book with an open mind and try and learn from the mistakes of the persistent entrepreneurs that were interviewed for this book, yet with all things in life, one needs to take action and make things happen. If you end up becoming successful by avoiding the mistakes highlighted in this book, then it will be money well spent.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By L. Pollitt
Format:Hardcover
I've put off buying this book for ages, mainly I think because of the title. But when I did finally get round to reading it I realised it is anything but negative. It's an amazingly positive exploration of some of the problems and hurdles entrepreneurs can encounter and packed with very good advice. Rachel Elnaugh herself is an inspiration - having come through an appalling experience without the least trace of self-pity and an incredibly positive outlook. A worthwhile read for anyone running their own business.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Refreshing approach to business
Essential reading for any business owner, new or established.
Too often, business books focus on the successful and the triumphs, keen to pass on that learning to the... Read more
Too often, business books focus on the successful and the triumphs, keen to pass on that learning to the... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Andrew Miller
4.0 out of 5 stars
A must for every business library
I'm so pleased that someone had the common sense to write on this subject.
So many books are all gung-ho ego-trips, telling you how they succeeded. Read more
So many books are all gung-ho ego-trips, telling you how they succeeded. Read more
Published 22 months ago by T. B. Bailie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic read
I found this book to be really insightful and interesting. Rachel Elnaugh has written a fantastic book about her business life.
Published 23 months ago by JabHussain
3.0 out of 5 stars
Business 101
This is a very accessible book. Almost too accessible. I managed to read it in a couple of return train journeys (4 hours). Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2011 by Mr. R. Englander
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautifully written and very engaging; the best I've read on this...
This is an excellent book, coming from a far more positive angle than the title might suggest.
Rachel's style is light and engaging, weaving useful hints and tips... Read more
Rachel's style is light and engaging, weaving useful hints and tips... Read more
Published on 25 Aug 2010 by C. NEWPORT
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting in places but too much recycling.
Entire chapters about James Dyson, Jeffrey Archer and Jimmy Goldsmith which basically retell the already published biographies/autobiographies of these famous 'winners'. Read more
Published on 20 Jun 2010 by Justice Peace
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring read
Excellent, inspiring read - the title is a little mis-leading as it's a very positive, hopeful book
Published on 30 Oct 2009 by William O'mahony
3.0 out of 5 stars
Dragon dented
What are we to make of `Business Nightmares'? Having only discovered the BBC's sporadically-interesting-but-increasingly-predictable Dragon's Den after series two, I never saw... Read more
Published on 6 Sep 2009 by modern life is rubbish
3.0 out of 5 stars
good and bad
Quite a good interesting book at the beginning, but faded towards the end, the last chapter is of no inspiration to any would be entrepreneur. Read more
Published on 5 Oct 2008 by Anonymous
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