with Deborah Shouse

How do entrepreneurs survive?  How do they thrive? 

Barnett C. Helzberg, Jr., former chairman of the board of Helzberg Diamonds, with Deborah Shouse, shares twenty-two stories of wonderful, resilient people who have handled the extreme ups and downs of life and entrepreneurship.  These are people who start and operate small businesses and whose companies have survived any number of near-death experiences.

Yes, it can happen to you.  A kitchen soap maker becomes a large factory owner; a mismatched button customer becomes an eco-friendly dry cleaner; labors of law turn to labors of love at a culinary institute. 

He shows you that many people are willing, able and highly capable of helping the ambitious and open-minded entrepreneur.  They have worked within the framework of the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP).  It was started in 1995 with many inspirations and few blueprints.  Through the years, benefited by the near cult-like devotion of many members, the program has prospered from constant improvements.

Through careful matching and good luck, the right people nourished each other and the organization.  The stories in this book show how the generosity and empathy of these relationships created jobs and success.