Alice Loy - Creative Economy Entrepreneurs: From Startup to Success; How Entrepreneurs in the Creative Industries are Transforming the Global Economy

Alice and Tom are pioneering the work of accelerating creative entrepreneurs. This book is an invitation to join their trailblazing efforts and build a robust creative entrepreneur ecosystem in your region. If you are wondering why the creative economy is explosive, this book answers all your questions.

• Professor Tom Byers , Stanford Technology Ventures Program, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California U.S.

Alice Loy and Tom Aageson are wise and experienced in what to expect, what to do and how to achieve your personal and company challenges. Everyone starting-up would benefit tremendously from reading this book.

• John Howkins, Author, The Creative Economy: How People Make Money From Ideas, London, U.K.

I have read many books that sing the praises of the creative economy. Creative Economy Entrepreneurs is different. This book will take you on a creative ride beyond 2018 and will have you reconsidering your priorities, as you reflect on a world beyond the disruption of technology, and post the next big thing. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the future

• Frances Valintine , Founder, Tech Futures Lab, Auckland, New Zealand

Creative Economy Entrepreneurs gives people the tools, the new thinking skills, and the practical know how to meet challenges of the new economy and invent and innovate the future.

• John M. Eger , Zahn Director and Professor of Creativity and Innovation, Creative Economy Initiative San Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.

In this book, Alice Loy and Tom Aageson introduce us to creative entrepreneurs and their stories. In a refreshing contrast to the cloudy concepts and macroeconomic statistics that leave most people baffled about the creative economy, they shine a light on the creative and cultural industries, down on the ground, all around the world.

• David Parrish , Author of T-Shirts and Suits: A Guide to the Business of Creativity, London, U.K.

Creative Economy Entrepreneurs is a unique blend of broad content knowledge and ethnographic research into some of their most successful enterprises. I highly recommend it for anyone pursuing a venture in the creative economy.

• Robert G. DelCampo , Ph.D. , Executive Director, Innovation Academy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.

Buckle your seatbelt for a round-the-world tour of creative ventures that are solving the worlds biggest challenges. When you land at home, youll be inspired to build the creative economy in your communityand youll have learned a lot about how to do it. This book makes a clear-eyed business case for why leaders need to embrace the melding of culture and economics to build resilient, prosperous communities.

• Randall Kempner , Executive Director, Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), Washington, D.C., U.S.

Loy and Aageson in Creative Economy Entrepreneurs spell out for the first time the distinctive needs and practices of creative entrepreneurs in this innovation system. Through a series of fascinating case studies they show how U.S. analyses of tech entrepreneurship to date have missed a big trick by neglecting the importance of creativity.

• Hasan Bakhshi , Executive Director, Creative Economy and Data Analytics, Nesta, London, U.K.

The book makes a compelling argument that if communities and economic development professionals overlook the potential of the creative economy, they might risk missing out on future growth and resilience. Highly recommend reading it!

• Jeffrey A. Finkle, CEcD, President & CEO, International Economic Development Council (IEDC), Washington, D.C., U.S.

I am delighted to bring a world of support to this book and the work carried out by Alice Loy and Tom AagesonThis book gives a meaningful contribution to promote creative entrepreneurs and sustainable business.

• Edna dos Santos-Duisenberg, Director and main-co-author of the United Nations Creative Economy Reports (2008 and 2010). Advisor, United Nations for Training and Research (UNITAR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Creative Economy Entrepreneurs is an invaluable testament to the power of the creative economy. It is full of insight into the transformational potential of creativity, and it shows us how the intersection of art and business is changing the world.

• Kim Chestney, Founder of the Creative Industries Network and the CREATE! Festival Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

The stories in this book illustrate how the challenges faced in developing an ecosystem to support and grow a Creative Economy can be tackled. The book is suitable for everyone. But in particular, I encourage leaders in the public and private sectors to read it. The stories will inspire you. I sincerely hope they will motivate you to take affirmative action to support the Creative Economy.

• Professor Graeme Britton, President and CEO, Raffles University, Iskandar, Johor, Malaysia

What Richard Florida did for the creative class, this book could do for the ecology of creativity! It is as much an overview as it is about details, it is as much about real life as it is about vision, it supports structure as well as inspiration. For me, it is agenda setting and a must-read for politicians and practitioners.

• Bernd Fesel , Director, European Creative Business Network, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Heres a book Ive been waiting for I just didnt realize it. It would be good to get a copy of the book in the hands of every social and economic development professional who fails to see the full potential of the creative economy and look again at their own role in supporting its development.

• Gail McClure , Ph.D, Senior Advisor, Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation, St. Paul, Minnesota and Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.

A first hand testimony on the impact of creative entrepreneurship on the economy and communities. It reads like a users manual for policymakers to build a working creative ecosystem.

• Phillippe Kern , CEO, KEA European Affairs, Brussels, Belgium

Tom and Alice carve out a new pathway forward for economic development everywhere, in an area many others had overlooked or neglected. Now, with this book, they share their journey and lessons so creative entrepreneurship can continue to spread. I plan to put this book into the hands of every policymaker I meet.

• Dane Stangler , Chief Policy Officer, Startup Genome, Oakland, California, U.S.

This book is essential reading for policymakers looking for new approaches to solving some of the big challenges of the 21st century.

• Peter Tullin, Co-Founder, CultureLabel.com & REMIX Summits, Melbourne, Australia

Forward-thinking venture firms are investing in creative industry startups and this book explains why.

• Rashid Sultan, Founder and Partner of Messilah Ventures, Kuwait City, Kuwait

Leadership in creativity has been one of Americas great strengths, and we must continue to nurture that vital advantage.

• Douglas Brown, Dean of Anderson School of Management, Retired, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.

Far away from the current literature on the creative industries, this refreshing book puts the spotlight on project-specific examples supporting entrepreneurship and economic development from a diversity of geo-cultural perspectives. Creative Economy Entrepreneurs is an indispensable reference tool for the next generation of entrepreneurs and decision makers involved in the creative economy.