Survey results from Escape from Cubicle Nation readers

Thanks again to everyone who took a few minutes to complete my survey.

I asked for your input on both what was unique about this blog and what you thought would be helpful to include in a book.  The results were tremendously interesting to me, and re-affirmed the path I was taking with my book proposal.  I will share the link for you to read the results yourself, but here are the major points I am taking away:

• I have the nicest readership in the blogosphere.  The comments were so positive and encouraging that I can’t wipe the smile off my face.  Thank you so much for taking the time to not only offer specific feedback, but also to add an encouraging word.  It really motivates me to keep going, and to do an extra good job.
• It is important to keep the voice of my blog in the book.  I write about a lot of personal experiences on this blog, in addition to those of my friends and clients.  Many people said to keep that voice, and not to make it boring and generic.
• Focus on the emotional side of the transition from employee to entrepreneur, not just the practical steps needed to get a business up and running.  This is certainly at the heart of my blog, and what I think will be a distinguishing aspect of the book.  I see it as a companion to something like Guy Kawasaki’s Art of the Start, where there is great advice for what to do, but not information about how you deal with your fears and anxieties in the process of "getting it done."
• Describe a clear process with steps for going to employee to entrepreneur.  While I know that I can’t cover everything involved in starting a business, I should take the reader through a logical process that allows them to focus on the right things at the right time.  Jeff and Rich Sloan from StartupNation have done a great job of covering the nuts and bolts of business startup in their book 10 Steps to Open for Business, but don’t tie it directly to the transition from corporate employee to entrepreneur.  Once again, I think this book could be a good companion to theirs.
• Include checklists and tools.  This book will be about ACTION, not theory, and I should include tools and tips for making progress.
• Include lots of stories of real people who have made the transition from employee to entrepreneur successfully.  I already have lots of stories in mind, many from my own wonderful clients.  That is where the good meat is:  hearing how real people faced a challenge and got through it.
• Offer motivation without getting sappy.  Encourage readers along the path to entrepreneurship, but don’t go over the top with shallow and meaningless cheerleading.

If you pick up any other themes as you read through the survey, please let me know in the comments.

I have decided to keep the survey open for awhile longer, since I am thankful for any input I can get.  So if you want to add your two cents, go right ahead.  Link to survey here.

My book proposal is due to the publisher on Monday, January 21, so this week I will be madly organizing, synthesizing and writing.  I might be light on blogging, so forgive my silence. 

As I progress through this process of writing a book, I will share my experiences with you so that we all learn together.  I am sure that many of you have books brewing inside just waiting to be written.

Here is the link to the raw results.  On the open-ended questions, click on the "view" button to see the responses.

Enjoy!

P.S.  Some of you were kind enough to put a personal note in the answer to #7, with your name or email address.  Since I am sharing this publicly, I removed those references to respect your privacy.  Thanks!