Starting from Scrap
An Entrepreneurial Success Story
By: Stephen H. Greer
Published: March 25, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1580801609
ISBN-13: 978-1580801607
Publisher: Burford Books
"Particularly for recent graduates, a taste of independence as an entrepreneur is life altering and can make it very unappealing to return to the slow grind of working your way up the corporate ladder", writes entrepreneur Stephen H. Greer in his inspirational and advice filled book Starting from Scrap: An Entrepreneurial Success Story. The author describes the triumphs and setbacks of his career as owner of Hartwell Pacific, a scrap metal company he founded in Hong Kong in 1993. He sold the company in 2005.
Stephen Greer began his career as an entrepreneur in the same way as many self employed people. He had a number of false starts, and as is so often the case, he landed almost by accident on the scrap metal recycling business. In the author's eyes, however, he gave himself many advantages toward discovering a lucrative business opportunity. In 1993, Stephen Greer began to realize the growing demand for scrap metal in Asia. At age twenty-four, he was drawn to that continent, and its well chronicled high economic growth rates, and established himself in the Hong Kong marketplace. His initial business ventures, ranging from Levis and hairnets, to ornamental gifts and glue, and even to chicken feet, yielded little success. Eventually, Stephen discovered his market niche in the scrap metal recycling business.
Stephen Greer didn't achieve overnight success without hard work, however. When he discovered an opportunity to market scrap metal, he took the plunge. Unfortunately, some of his earliest transactions resulted in a financial loss. He did learn, by the school of hard knocks, to be very careful and thorough in evaluating properly his product. The author was determined to succeed in the export industry, and began the tedious and often discouraging process of cold calling scrap metal dealers all over South East Asia. Eventually, he found some valuable contacts, and began his ascent. Along the way, however, he learned more hard lessons about trust and personal integrity. Stephen Greer began his quest to establish himself and his company as honest brokers of scrap metal in the marketplace.
For me, the power of the book is how Stephen Greer describes both his successes and failures with equal honesty. He admits readily that he made many mistakes along the way, and that several of those errors were costly in both money and reputation. At the same time, however, the author demonstrates the value of hard work in achieving your goals. His mission was to sell scrap metal, but that goal also evolved toward an environmental one, as metal was reused rather than discarded. Stephen Greer presents a powerful case for choosing entrepreneurship as a career goal, but he also warns that there will certainly be setbacks along the way. The book also provides a valuable primer for anyone looking for business opportunities in the Asian market, and how to avoid many of the mistakes made by the author.
I highly recommend the insightful and honest book Starting from Scrap: An Entrepreneurial Success Story by Stephen H. Greer, to anyone seeking a first hand account of becoming an entrepreneur as a career choice. The book is also valuable for business people seeking advice on entering the rapidly growing Asian market successfully. Stephen Greer provides valuable and actionable advice for both entrepreneurs in general, and for conducting business in Asia in particular.
Read the intriguing and entertaining book Starting from Scrap: An Entrepreneurial Success Story by Stephen H. Greer, and follow his story of the rise of a young entrepreneur to owner of a successful Hong Kong based scrap metal company. His inspiring story will convince many potential entrepreneurs to take the plunge and start their own companies as well.
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