The Start-Up Puzzle
- Title: The Start-Up Puzzle
- Authors: Robert van Pappelendam & Dr. Joris Meijaard, Academic Director Strategic Entrepreneurship at the Rotterdam School of Management Erasmus University
- Published by: MindStir Media, April 2025
- Where to find it: https://mindstirmediabooks.com/product/the-start-up-puzzle/ / https://startuppuzzle.com/
Want to launch your own venture? You’ll have your work cut out for you. Each year, an estimated 50 million new start-up ventures around the world take their first steps, joining more than 150 million pre-existing projects. It’s a highly busy, highly ambitious market. The opportunities for budding entrepreneurs, it seems, are endless.
And yet, data shows that 90% of start-ups fail before the end of their first year.
Whilst you might have a fantastic idea in mind and the dedication to bring it to life, successful entrepreneurship takes far more that passion and vision. Even those which benefit from the security of wider backing – is staggeringly high.
The reasons why are wide-ranging; financial struggles and bankruptcy, problems arising from the instability that expansion brings, a failure to respond to the market, staffing troubles, securing ongoing investment, faulty products… the list goes on. And even with all the right ingredients in the mix, long-term success is still a long shot.
So how can entrepreneurs ensure they can become one of the lucky few that get it right? It is with this backdrop that Robert van Pappelendam and Dr Joris Meijaard enter the scene with their latest book, “The Start-Up Puzzle” – an instructional offering of “snackable” guidance for entrepreneurs.
The Start-Up Puzzle is backed by their extensive careers in business and in academia. Robert has over 30 years of experience as a senior leader in a Fortune 50 company, and in advising startups and scale-ups across the FMCG, Luxury, and MedTech sectors, and Joris is the Academic Director of the Department of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship at the Rotterdam School of Management Erasmus University, possessing over 20 years of experience in economic and business policy research and running his own research agency MIR.
Blending their own experiences and expertise, along with real-life industry case studies and the thought leadership and studies of others, their book offers practical and implementable insights into how to create and build a successful venture. The book does not offer brand new research but rather curates the wealth of knowledge and successful practice that already exists in the world, bringing this together in a concise and easy-to-digest overview.
The aim? To simplify the start-up process, provide essential knowledge and practical tips backed by real-world examples, and academic insights to help entrepreneurs avoid those common pitfalls that stop start-ups (and their founders) from realising their full potential.
“This book does not promise to make you a million dollars…” the abstract states, “…but it can”.
We sat down with the authors to find out how…
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your new business book? What motivated you to write it?
Most entrepreneurs don’t lack great ideas. They lack a clear & actionable roadmap. The Start-Up Puzzle changes that. This book doesn’t make empty promises. It doesn’t claim to make you an overnight millionaire. But it does offer you practical, actionable insights to turn your idea into a successful start-up, which could be worth millions! This guide simplifies the start-up process, curating essential knowledge into an easy-to-digest framework. It delivers practical tips, real-world examples, and the latest academic research to help you avoid the pitfalls that derail most entrepreneurs.
What are the key takeaways or main ideas that readers can expect to find in your book?
This book equips you with the tools to:
- Discover Your Opportunity: Build deep consumer understanding and identify unmet needs
- Define Your Mission: Align your vision with your business opportunity
- Develop a Winning Product: Create a unique product and brand with a clear value proposition
- Build a Scalable Business Model: Craft a robust strategy, secure funding, and attract talent
- Navigate the Start-Up Journey: Gain insights into processes, skills, and common pitfalls shared by successful start-ups
The Start-Up Puzzle is a comprehensive roadmap to turning your ideas into reality-merging practical advice with research-backed strategies.
Who is the target audience for your book, and how do you believe it will benefit them?
- Aspiring entrepreneurs looking to kickstart their journey
- Early-stage founders seeking a roadmap for success
- Entrepreneurial students of all ages
- Leaders and managers in medium to large companies looking to understand start-up dynamics
- Anyone in need of a mentor to guide their entrepreneurial vision
It will help them to navigate and make the right decisions
What do you think makes this topic particularly relevant or timely in today’s business world, or for the years ahead?
Entrepreneurship is a crucial part of societal progress. Lowering barriers and improving success rates can be critical for our economic, social and overall progress
Can you discuss any specific case studies or real-world examples from your book that illustrate its principles in action?
The book is packed with real-world examples. This ranges from Workrate to Corsano Health, Picnic, Frederic Fekkai, Briogeo, Coolblue, BIC and many many others.
How does your book add to/expand existing discussions on this topic?
The book brings;
- Practical & Implementable Insights: Designed for action, not theory,
- Real-Life Examples & Expert Interviews: Learn from the journeys of entrepreneurs and investors,
- Concise & Digestible: Avoid information overload with clear, “snackable” guidance,
- Blend of Theory & Practice: Merges the rigor of academic research with actionable business tips
Finally, what book written by another author would you consider essential reading for your audience and why?
This has to be the book by Eric Ries: The Lean Startup (2017). It is a great guide how entrepreneurs can use continuous Innovation to create successful businesses.
By, Kerry Ruffle
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