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If at First You Don’t Succeed…: The Eight Patterns of Highly Effective Entrepreneurs by Brent Bowers is a book describing what he believes are the 8 highly effective patterns of entrepreneurs. Each chapter builds upon the next and the patterns of entrepreneurship he shows are worth considering. He breaks down these traits; an apptitude for seeing and seizing opportunity, the desire to work for yourself, your background, a background of innovation, nimbleness and agility, tenacity, an unshakable belief in their company and product, and the ability to fail upward, or learn from their mistakes.

While there are many books on entrepreneurship and the qualities of successful entrepreneurs, this book stays interesting by giving real life examples. Bowers takes the time to interview numerous entrepreneurs of every background and industry, including heavy weights such as Cameron Johnson, Underarmour founder Kevin Plank, and Greg Herro’s of LifeGem. My favorite part of any book on entrepreneurship is the real life examples and stories of people who have failed and succeeded in the business world. I would give this book a definite read for anyone who has ever asked themselves if they are made to be an entrepreneur.