The Entrepreneur's Odyssey

The Entrepreneur's Odyssey is The Lean Startup meets The Alchemist. Written as a novel, it's essentially a textbook of everything you need to do - and what it really feels like! - to take an idea to funded startup. Basically, it is all the advice I've given startups over my years of investing, running accelerators, and mentoring in general, just in fictional form to make it more entertaining and memorable. It is intended for founders, students of entrepreneurship, and the startup curious and is the business book for people who hate business books..

  • "Entrepreneurship is a journey that's full of stories, best learned from doing…. "The Entrepreneur's Odyssey" captures this fluid nature of startups, written as a work of fiction and not as a dry how-to manual."

    David Brown (co-founder and former CEO, Techstars)


  • "The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey is a startup guide like no other. Packed with real-world experience and practical advice, this humorous novel-style guide is the perfect companion for anyone navigating the complex startup world."

    Dr. Noam Wasserman (Dean, Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University and bestselling author of The Founder’s Dilemmas and Life Is a Startup)

  • "Most students come into my course with only vague ideas of what building a startup is really like. "The Entrepreneur's Odyssey" makes learning entrepreneurship much more fun."

    Ira Weiss (Clinical Professor of Entrepreneurship and Accounting, Chicago Booth and General Partner, Hyde Park Venture Partners)

  • "Having worked with Andrew at Dreamit, I know firsthand the depth of his expertise. This book distills years of experience into a gripping narrative with the real, unfiltered insights you need."

     Steve Welch (Founder, Dreamit Ventures and CEO/Co-founder Restore Hyper Wellness)

  • “Ackerman has taken years of hard-earned wisdom from his time guiding startups through accelerators and distilled it into a narrative that’s both engaging and deeply practical.”

    Avi Savar (Former CEO, Dreamit Ventures)

  • "The Entrepreneur's Odyssey is a fun, engaging guide packed with practical startup wisdom. Andrew Ackerman's novel approach makes learning essential strategies feel like an adventure, not a lecture. A must-read for every aspiring founder!"

    Steve Barsh (former Managing Partner, Dreamit Ventures)


  • “Andrew Ackerman's The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey offers a refreshing and highly practical approach to startup success. Unlike conventional business books, this novel-style guide blends storytelling with valuable insights on the startup journey, covering everything from crafting the perfect elevator pitch to securing investors."

    Jeffrey Berman (General Partner, Camber Creek)

  • “A captivating and pragmatic read on what it takes to launch a startup and embrace the entrepreneurial adventure! Andrew’s relatable and witty storytelling on how to navigate the turbulent waters of building a business inspires resilience and creativity at every turn. An authentic glimpse for anyone eager to dive in on their entrepreneurial journey!"

    Anvesh Rai (Venture Capitalist)