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I recently finished Cameron Johnson’s You Call the Shots which you can view on the right bar of my blog. This book conveys many of the lessons that Cameron has learned as a young serial entrepreneur. I must admit, I had my doubts about this book when I first picked it up. I am normally not very impressed by entrepreneurial books. They often have vague lessons and advice that conveys very little real world value.

Cameron’s book is the exception to the rule. He gives 19 simple rules on entrepreneurship, but adds quality real-life examples from his experience. He has started 12 different businesses and began with only $50 and a home computer. At age 11, Cameron made over $50,000 selling Beanie Babies online. Before he’d turned twenty-one he’d started twelve successful businesses and was offered $10 million in venture capital to grow his hot Web company CertificateSwap.com — praised by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the Web businesses helping the tech industry get its groove back — even bigger. He has never taken out a loan or racked up any debt, and every one of his businesses has been highly profitable — so profitable that he made his first million before graduating from high school, and he’s put away enough cash so that he could retire today. But that’s the last thing on earth he’d want to do; he’s much too happy starting up new companies.

Here are Cameron’s 19 simple lessons:

1. Put Yourself Out There
2. Start Small
3. Make Your Money Work for You
4. Balance Work with Life
5. Look Close to Home for Great Ideas
6. Surround Yourself with Great People
7. Make Yourself Your Brand
8. Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate
9. Make Your Own Tough Decisions
10. Adapt or Die
11. Find Great Mentors
12. Seek Out New Knowledge Every Day
13. Use the Power of the Press
14. Stick to Your Guns
15. Get Experience on the Ground
16. Never Underestimate the Value of Your Customer
17. Creatively Build on Your Own Experience
18. Remember What It’s Really All About
19. Be the Entrepreneur You Want to Be

While these lessons are simple, Cameron’s real life experience brings each one to life. His story is an inspiration for everyone. This is a must read for any college student, businessman, or aspiring entrepreneur.