Nothing to lose, everything to gain : how I went from gang member to multimillionaire entrepreneur / Ryan Blair with Don Yaeger.

Includes index.

Where I'm from : Welcome to poverty ; You're not my father -- The nothing-to-lose mind-set -- Hustlers, charlatans,...and Tony Robbins -- Philosophies from the jail cell to the boardroom : Golden rules -- Seize the day -- Honor your deals -- Smarten up : Who's your mentoren? -- First things first : Watch your wallet -- What's driving you? : You're not a stereotype -- Tap those assets -- Risk and sacrifice : Get really uncomfortable -- Million-dollar mistakes -- I hate business plans : Your business name, not your porn name ; Game theory -- Pros and cons of a home-based business : It's all about recruiting ; Choosing a home -- Launching your business : That's my story, and I'm sticking with it ; Sell first, ask questions later -- Raising money : Venture capitalists : swimming with the sharks -- Growing, hiring, and firing : The connect-four technique -- Cashing out : Lawyer up -- Told u so.

Like many entrepreneurs, Ryan Blair had no formal business education, but he had great survival instincts, tenacity, and, above all, a "nothing to lose" mind-set. His middle-class childhood came to an abrupt end when his abusive father succumbed to drug addiction and abandoned the family. Blair and his mother moved to a bad neighborhood, and soon he was in and out of juvenile detention, joining a gang just to survive. Then his mother fell in love with a successful entrepreneur who took Ryan under his wing. With his mentor's help, Blair turned himself into a wildly successful businessman. He started his first company, 24/7 Tech, at the age of twenty-one, and since then has created and sold several companies for hundreds of millions of dollars. Now Blair shows readers how to start and grow their own profitable businesses. Sharing lessons from his mentors and advice from his own life-changing experiences, Blair provides an inspirational guide for people willing to put in the hard work, time, and dedication needed to achieve entrepreneurial success.