The Idea Is the Easy Part

”““Anyone interested in starting a business or investing in venture capital should read this book … Brian Dovey will help you understand the numbers and will inspire you to listen for the music. Ultimately venture capital is a very human enterprise and Brian has honed his humanity and technical understanding. “”
—Bill Bradley, former US Senator and investment banker

““In The Idea is the Easy Part, veteran venture capitalist Brian Dovey confronts myths about entrepreneurs, startups, and Shark Tank as he challenges would-be business owners to look before they leap. Encouraging and thought provoking, this book is a great read.””
—Ken Blanchard, coauthor of Simple Truths of Leadership and Leading at a Higher Level

“”The Idea is the Easy Part is an honest and realistic look at the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship. I highly recommend this book to anyone considering starting a business.“”
—Chris Barton, Founder of Shazam, three-time entrepreneur, inventor, and tech investor

““This book is so well done.The topics are spot on, and the content and examples are pertinent. It’s easy to read but the rich, deep insight is incredible.””
—Bonnie Anderson, Executive Chairman, Veracyte

““Brian Dovey’s storytelling approach is so helpful because it is a real-world experience filled with context and color.He brings readers into the stories so that we can appreciate the information we would experience under the same circumstances. “”
—Mary Fisher, CEO, Colorescience

”“Well-written and understandable—no jargon, technical terms, or words one has to look up. It’s an easy read, which is essential.””
—Richard Schiding, former President, Vasont Systems

”“If you want an excellent, realistic, straight-talking, often amusing introduction to the entrepreneurial world, you’ve come to the right place.””
—Brook Byers, cofounder, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

““Brian Dovey is a master storyteller. He dispenses profound wisdom about the entrepreneurship process based on his involvement in more that 300 new ventures as an investor, board member and entrepreneur. He generously shares his thought processes on a wide range of issues that come up in any type of startup venture.””
—Alex DeNoble, Professor of Management, San Diego State University

““This should be well received because it doesn’t repeat the prevailing wisdom. It avoids the trap of providing dozens of war stories to make your points and avoids generalities.””
—Jim Blair, Domain Associates
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Brian Dovey was a partner at the venture capital firm Domain Associates—which has invested \(2.8 billion in startups—from 1988 until his passing in August, 2023. He was involved in the development of ~300 pharmaceutical and life sciences startups and served on the boards of more than 35 companies (and as chairman of six) with a combined value of more than \)50 billion. Dovey also taught business students part-time, including a long-running acclaimed course at San Diego State University called “Managing the Growing Firm.”

A native of New Jersey, Dovey received his B.A. in mathematics from Colgate University and his MBA from Harvard Business School. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, their three children, and eight grandchildren.

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