Million Dollar Weekend: The Surprisingly Simple Way to Launch a 7-Figure Business in 48 Hours

Kagan, the CEO of AppSumo, a website that helps users get deals on software, debuts with an uneven program that promises to help readers follow his path to success. Outlining how he founded each of his eight businesses, Kagan encourages readers to “find a problem people are having that you can solve,” “craft an irresistible solution... backed by simple market research,” and then verify the idea’s appeal by attempting to sell the product or service before spending money on it. The most sensible recommendations encourage readers to investigate potential customer needs by skimming frequently requested services on Craigslist’s gigs section and to determine the potential market for their idea by searching the popularity of related key words on Google Trends and Facebook Ads. Other suggestions range from quirky—the “coffee challenge” urges readers to get comfortable with rejection by requesting that a coffee shop take 10% off one’s order—to borderline reckless (“act first, figure it out later”). At times, Kagan’s confidence in the average person’s ability to jump-start a million-dollar business while keeping a full-time job feels a bit naive (“You can change your life in one weekend. You don’t have to quit your job”). Readers will want to pick and choose from Kagan’s hit-or-miss guidance. Agent: Lisa DiMona, Writers House. (Jan.)