Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- Chapter 1. Understanding brand communities -- Chapter 2. Defending a cause and launching a movement -- Chapter 3. Recruiting volunteers -- Chapter 4. Encouraging interactions and sharing stories -- Chapter 5. Developing rituals -- Chapter 6. Adding linking value to the value proposition -- Chapter 7. Evolving from a community movement to an entrepreneurial project -- Chapter 8. Community 1st - start-up 2nd -- Chapter 9. Achieving a different kind of entrepreneurship.

With this book comes a message that the authors have for management and entrepreneurship experts around the world. Beyond the myth of the 'start-up nation', 'hypergrowth', and speculation on future business value, there exists an alternative form of entrepreneurship that young entrepreneurs are embracing. They call it "entrepreneurial activism" and its philosophy is "community first, start-up second". Guiding entrepreneurs to reap the benefits of brand and market development, the authors present a five-step approach on how to develop a community and launch a start-up within it. This guide explores how best to define a cause and create a movement, to recruit volunteers and create opportunities within a community. The collaboration between the three authors creates an enticing mix of entrepreneurship and marketing perspectives that bridges the academic and professional worlds and shares a wealth of business expertise and experience from three continents.