"Renee and Don Martin provide inspiration—and useful advice—for people trapped in the corporate world, looking for a way to develop their brilliant ideas into a business that they control."
—Basil and Spice

"The Martins have produced a wonderful study of the entrepreneurial spirit — in its pages, you'll meet the person behind the Geek Squad, the individual behind Amy's Kitchen, and many more. This book may help you go the extra mile in your own practice, and to better understand the mindset of the entrepreneur."
—Life Insurance Selling

"Whether or not you are a business owner or an employee this book was fantastic. I found their stories to be incredible and inspiring. Every single person in this book took a chance—a chance on an idea and themselves...I thought this book was a fantastic read and enjoyed reading every owner's story."
—Chocolate and Croissants

"The Risk Takers is great inspiration! Be positive, think positive and it will come to you!"
—Geek Girl Reviews

"Sixteen success stories share common threads—people started with an unconventional idea and not much money, added commitment and perseverance, never rested on their laurels, and trusted their gut. My favorite involves a woman who saw her dream career as a lawyer derailed when she failed the LSAT. She was selling fax machines and copiers by day and doing standup comedy at night. Sara Blakely's epiphany came before an open-mike performance. She planned on wearing 'white pants and sexy sandals' but had a wardrobe issue—panty lines. She really wanted to wear the sandals, so she cut the feet off her control-top pantyhose. That simple act became Spanx—its retail sales were $350 million in 2008. What have you failed at lately? What risks have you taken?"
— Dallas Morning News

"Did you ever look at a successful business owner and wonder as you are living paycheck to paycheck, how did they do that? Look no further than this fantastic book that pulls the curtain back on the original American Dream."
—A Blog of Books

"Tired of naysayers? Ready to take a career or business to the next level? The Risk Takers:16 Women and Men Share their Entrepreneurial Strategies for Success by Renee and Don Martin is an engaging book not just filled with stories, but practical insight into how these so-called instant successes decided not to listen to others but to trust their own judgment, and to not take NO for an answer (and it took many years for the success to be recognized by others). And it is not just about how entrepreneurs do it, but how anyone can apply these strategies for personal career growth."
—Career Advice, Suite 101.com

"Have you ever wondered what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Do you think you don’t have the right background or education to pursue your ideas and find successes on your own? After reading Risk Takers, you will feel motivated and empowered to take the first step… This is a great collection of experiences that frame what success looks like from a variety of angles. The stories connect with the heart and the mind to deconstruct the assumptions of what risk taking is and provides an outline for helping you achieve your dreams."
—Work Babble Blog

"A very inspirational book! It was very enlightening to read how people suceeded in buiding multi-million dollar businesses. Every case has the same underlying concept: finding a underserved niche and bucking conventional wisdom. I think I found these stories so interesting becuase I am not a risk taker at all. I will always play it safe. These successful men and women took a chance and it paid off for them. Whether you're a business person or not I think you will find this book very informative."
—Just Short of Crazy Blog

"The book's title, The Risk Takers, may make it seem that this book is going to be a heavy read. It really isn’t and I must say that I think it is well worth the reading. I did it in about three hours. There is also a neat aspect to this book that I am seeing more and more in business and self improvement books. Each chapter has capsules set apart by stylized borders of the more important tidbits of that past two or so pages. Also at the end of the chapter there is a recap of the Strategies for Success for each of the winning entrepreneurs in the book. If you just read those strategies at the end of each chapter you would get the story but the full read is so much more compelling."
—Vegas Commercial Broker Blog

"After taking one look at the people they featured in the book I knew it was something special. They get inside stories on Kinko’s, Geek Squad, Build-A-Bear, Patron Tequila, Spanx and 11 other companies led by entrepreneurs who took risks to change their lives and the lives of others...I loved the approach in the book. They went head on and showed the struggles in the early days, the mental and financial risks they put on not only themselves, but on their families, their friends, relationships and business partners."
—Rockstar Lifestyle Design