''In this book the entrepreneur occupies centre stage. Whether in a period of economic prosperity or economic decline, entrepreneurs seem to be able to seize opportunities at every turn, enabling them to make a very important contribution to the economy and to enhance wealth. At the heart of the book is the Nyenrode ten-step model of entrepreneurship.

The Nyenrode ten-step model of entrepreneurship consists of the following ten steps:
1Generating ideas
2Testing ideas
3Identifying the necessary resources
4Writing a business plan
5Acquiring resources and financial backing
6Launching the business
7Coping with setbacks
8Professionalising the business
9Making arrangements for a successor
10Harvesting

The integrated approach of this model provides a set of guidelines to help the entrepreneur deal with the tasks he or she will be confronted with. This book also provides the entrepreneur with a wealth of information about how to write a business plan, how to cope with setbacks, how financiers operate and much, much more. Attention is also paid to corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurship and the family business, regional value and the future of entrepreneurship. ''