Abstract
2020, Book: "Why Startups Fail explores entrepreneurial failure, examining its predictable patterns, how to avoid them, and how to cope when failure does occur. Part I looks at three common failure patterns for early-stage startups, illustrating each with an anchor case study, then describing ways to avoid that type of failure. Part II follows the same format, presenting three failure patterns for late-stage, resource rich startups. Part III shifts perspective from why startups fail (and how to avoid failure) to how to entrepreneurs can fail better—how to decide whether/when to pull the plug; how to shut down in ways that preserve integrity and relationships; and then how to heal, learn from the experience, and decide what to do next."
Non-HKS Harvard Author Website - Thomas Eisenmann