Starting a Startup
by James Sinclair
A brutally tactical playbook for first-time founders. 50+ frameworks for idea validation, customer acquisition, and early traction.
Can't afford a copy?
I know pirated PDFs exist. I'd genuinely rather send you a free copy myself than have you track one down. If money is tight, here's what to do:
- 1Subscribe to the Startup to Scaleup newsletter — it's free, weekly, and read by 140,000+ founders.
- 2Reply to any email and ask me for the book.
- 3I'll send it to you personally. No catch, no upsell.
I didn't write this book to give it away. I wrote it to help founders build something real. But if the price is what's stopping you, I'd rather put it in your hands myself than have you download some dodgy PDF.
What You'll Get
The full book — not a chapter, not a summary, not a "lite" version. Every framework, every case study, every page.
Validate Before You Build
Learn how to test your startup idea in days, not months. Customer interviews, smoke tests, and the frameworks accelerators use to separate signal from noise — before you spend a dollar on development.
Build an MVP That Matters
Step-by-step guide to building a minimum viable product that people actually want to use. Feature prioritisation, development roadmap, and user feedback loops that keep you honest.
Get Your First Customers
Practical strategies to acquire paying customers without a marketing budget. Founder-led sales, cold outreach frameworks, and the direct sales playbook that actually works at the start.
Scale & Raise
Navigate the complexities of scaling your startup and securing funding. When to raise, how to pitch, and what investors actually look for — from someone who's been on both sides of the table.
What Founders Say
Read by thousands of founders across 40+ countries.
Why I'll Send It Free
Let me be straight with you. I spent two years writing this book. It's available on Amazon and I'd love it if you bought a copy — it supports the work and helps me keep writing.
But I also know what it's like to be an early-stage founder with no money. And I know pirated PDFs of the book are already floating around. I'd genuinely rather send you a legitimate copy myself than have you track down some dodgy download.
So here's the deal: if you can buy it, please do. If you genuinely can't afford it right now, subscribe to the newsletter and just ask. I'll send it to you personally. No judgement, no strings attached.
Either way — go build something people actually want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy Starting a Startup?
Starting a Startup is available on Amazon as a hardcover, paperback, and eBook. It's also available on Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other retailers worldwide. Buying a copy is the best way to support the work.
Is Starting a Startup by James Sinclair available as a free PDF?
If you genuinely cannot afford the book, yes — I'll send you a free copy myself. I know pirated PDFs exist, and I'd rather you get a legitimate copy directly from me. Subscribe to the Startup to Scaleup newsletter and reply to any email asking for the book. But if you can buy it, please do — it supports the work and helps me keep writing.
Is this the full book or just an excerpt?
Whether you buy it or receive a free copy, it's the full book — every chapter, every framework, every page. Same content as the Amazon hardcover edition.
Why do you offer it free instead of just selling it?
I'm not trying to give the book away — I spent two years writing it. But I know what it's like to be a broke founder. Pirated copies already exist online, and I'd rather put a real copy in your hands directly than have you download something dodgy. If you can afford it, buy it. If you can't, just ask.
What is Starting a Startup about?
It's a step-by-step guide for founders who want to validate their idea, build something people actually want, and get to paying customers — without wasting months building the wrong thing. It contains 50+ tactical frameworks used by accelerators and incubators worldwide.
Who is James Sinclair?
A serial entrepreneur with three successful startup exits. I run Startup to Scaleup — a platform with 140,000+ newsletter subscribers, 40+ founder frameworks, and a coaching practice for early-stage founders. I've spent 15+ years mentoring startups through accelerators and venture portfolios.
Ready to Start Building?
50+ frameworks. 1,000+ five-star reviews. The playbook for building something people actually want.
Also available on Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other retailers.