Authors: Miriam Yahil- Wax and Roni A. Einav

ISBN: 978-965-91415-8-6

One of the trailblazers of the Israeli high tech industry is Roni A. Einav who was the founder of the leading edge high tech company Einav Systems. From 1983 to 1999 Einav served as Chairman of New Dimensions Software, a systems software company he founded and which became a public company trading on the NASDAQ exchange. The company was acquired by BMC Software in 1999 and the acquisition was valued at about $650 million- one of the largest ever of an Israeli company.

In his recent candid memoir, Nordau to Nasdaq: The Evolution of an Israeli High-Tech Start-Up, Roni A. Einav with the collaboration of Miriam Yahil-Wax recounts the bumpy road he endured in becoming a successful entrepreneur. His story encompasses many insights that Einav brings to life in the tough high-tech start up industry. There were many battles he had to fight with partners, associates, and clients and as he states: “The business world is dynamic and chaotic, and chance plays a leading role.”

Einav breaks down the principal elements in becoming successful as follows: belief in your dreams; courage to improvise; and willingness to lose. After reading the memoir, I should add that it also takes a great deal of prowess and chutzpah to succeed.

All of these elements form the underlying theme of Nordau to Nasdaq and as Einav asserts: “He who waits for ideal conditions before taking the first step will never take that step. It may be that he won't lose but he also won't gain.”

In addition to these requirements, Einav also understood and appreciated the significance of Israel's base of human capital as well as the important influence a talented and cohesive team drawn from its own ranks could exert.

As mentioned, the company owed its distinctive character to a mixed group of individuals that came from various countries and industries each bringing with them something valuable. Quite relevant is that there were those who had done their service in army intelligence and other such elite units, and had a great deal of experience in working under pressure. In Dan Senor and Saul Singers' Start Up Nation, which I reviewed some time ago, the authors maintained that one of the major factors in Israel's economic growth can be attributed to the culture found in the Israel Defense Forces as it provides an excellent training ground for future entrepreneurs with opportunities to develop a wide array of skills and contacts.

Although the memoir is interesting, I felt at times that it lost momentum with its technical descriptions and lack of more down-to-earth explanations as to what exactly was New Dimensions Software, why was it important and the reasoning behind its purchase. In addition, the lengthy narratives devoted to the conflicts that existed among the various principals of the company should have been kept to a bear minimum. We read executive memoirs because we want to gain knowledge as to how to become a better leader and why does a company succeed and not about the personal conflicts that exists among various members of a company. If you have an ax to grind, keep it to yourself.

Follow Here To Purchase Nordau to NASDAQ: The Evolution of an Israeli High-Tech Start-Up

Check Out Some Great Deals On Amazon.com