Anyone Can Do It by Duncan Bannatyne has been by far the most successful book to emerge from the Dragons' Den show. His structure here is predictable, with each chapter covering one of 43 potential hazards for new entrepreneurs. It's hard to find fault with the central messages. And despite the current mantra that it's now easier than ever to start a business, there are plenty of easily avoidable pitfalls that ruin the dreams of many would-be entrepreneurs.
Critics of Dragons' Den could dismiss this as just another pointless, ego-fuelled spin-off, but they'd be wrong – it's well put together and a good starting point for budding entrepreneurs. There are even tips for experienced directors. Despite the apparently negative title, the book is as much about encouraging people to become entrepreneurs as Anyone Can Do It. Mistake 43, which Bannatyne claims is the biggest anyone can make, is not doing it at all.
The book draws heavily on cases presented on Dragons' Den (both good and bad). These work well and Bannatyne mixes with better-known, big business failures to highlight mistakes. Very readable indeed.
