CRAZY IS A COMPLIMENT

According to Linda Rottenberg, “If people aren’t calling you crazy, you aren’t thinking big enough.” These days, taking chances isn’t just for Silicon Valley college dropouts in hooded sweatshirts. It’s the only safe option for any of us, whether we work at Fortune 500 corporations, non-profits, or low-tech small businesses. We all need to be nimble, adaptive, daring, and maybe even a little crazy, or we risk being left behind.

But how do you take smart risks without putting too much on the line? That’s Rottenberg’s area of expertise as the CEO and co-founder of Endeavor, a thriving non-profit that identifies, mentors, and invests in fast-growing small businesses with the potential to transform their communities. Since 1997, Endeavor has screened 40,000 candidates and handpicked 1,000 entrepreneurs in 20 countries—people who can’t afford to blow up their life savings on an idea by themselves.

In CRAZY IS A COMPLIMENT, she shows what we can all learn from these innovators to pursue our own big dreams, whether at our current jobs or in new ventures. She offers a blend of inspiring stories and practical tools for getting started, getting bigger, and maintaining a healthy personal life.

As Rottenberg puts it, “I thought I was bringing the magic of Silicon Valley to emerging markets, but now I get the feeling we can use some of that emerging-market magic here. I believe those safe middle-manager jobs are no longer safe. Everyone needs to start thinking like an entrepreneur.”

Linda Rottenberg, the co-founder and CEO of Endeavor, has been named one of “America’s Top Leaders” by U.S. News, one of “100 Innovators for the 21st Century” by Time, and “the world’s mentor capitalist” by Tom Friedman. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, author and columnist Bruce Feiler, and their twin daughters.