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Watch these special moments from the
"Crossing The Swamp" book launch held at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach on
October 6, 2023.

Crossing The Swamp
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I have traveled an amazing journey to entrepreneurial success. I am a first-generation, award-winning business owner and have founded multiple startups that operate simultaneously. Going far beyond the usual model of being a solo or serial entrepreneur,
I share the secret to my success as a “parallel entrepreneur.

In “Crossing the Swamp”, John recounts his dramatic life story and shares his perspectives on success for entrepreneurs and startups of all types, with special advice for first-generation immigrants across the US. He focuses especially on the advantages of being a parallel entrepreneur—benefits that solo and serial entrepreneurs lose out on. The book also details the eight personal and business qualities that entrepreneurs must develop in order to achieve their highest goals and dreams.

John has a strong passion to support grassroots small businesses, especially minority and women-owned micro-businesses. He is a co-founder of the Long Beach Accelerator™ and his company, Sunstone Management, funds numerous pitch competitions and demo days to reward innovative startups. Given John’s experience, this is the right book to read if you are seeking to be inspired and learn some fresh insights for your entrepreneurial journey.

My goal in sharing my life story and my advice is to support the growing interest in entrepreneurship in the US. The need to solve thousands of problems in the world requires innovation—and that is the work of the rising number of entrepreneurs, whom I seek to support.

About the Author​

JOHN SHEN (né Zhong Shen) is the founder and Chairman of the Board of four currently operating companies headquartered in Irvine, CA. He is a visionary thinker about innovation and being an entrepreneur. He has coined the term “parallel entrepreneur,” referring to entrepreneurs who, like himself, choose to launch and operate multiple companies simultaneously. John grew up in China and earned his undergraduate degree from Peking University Law School in 1992.

He emigrated to the US in 1993 as a foreign student and earned a master’s degree in Statistics and Decision Sciences from Duke University in 1996. He changed his name to John Z. Shen when he became a US citizen in 2009. His wife, Stella Zhang, is his business partner. John has two sons, Ryan Shen and Leo Shen.

Read More
A visionary leader sees through the fads and buzzwords of the moment to decipher the real trends.

Wherever you are, there is something better out there, a new destination to reach. It’s a craving to start a “real” company with some (or a lot of ) employees, creating a well-known brand, building a respected reputation, and leaving a lasting mark during your time on Earth.

Financial Times Award
INC 5000
Los Angeles Times Logo
Marquis Who's who
Orange County Business Journal
Top 100 Registry

Entrepreneur Statistics

Consider these interesting statistics about entrepreneurship worldwide.

  • It is estimated that in 2022, 33 million Americans were starting or already running their own businesses, up from 25 million in 2016. This comes out to about 16% of the US workforce.
  • In 2021, more than 5.4 million new businesses were registered, up from 4.3 million in 2020, an increase of 23%.
  • The entrepreneurship failure has never been lower; only 20% of new businesses close after one year, though 50% fail within five years.
  • There are an estimated 582 million entrepreneurs in the world.
  • Entrepreneurs in the US tend to be between the ages of 25 and 44, motivated by their desire to pursue a passion, exit a corporate job, and capitalize on new opportunities.
  • 70% of entrepreneurs have gone to college, but 30% have not.
  • 55% of adults in the US have started at least one business in their lifetime.
  • 26% of adults in the US have started two or more businesses in their lifetime.
  • The average entrepreneur in the US starts their first business when they are 42, but that age varies by industry. In the software industry, the average age is 40. In the oil and gas industry, it’s closer to 47.
  • It’s never too late to start a business:
  • 13% of Americans between the ages of 45 and 54 started new businesses in 2019.
  • Similarly, 13% of Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 started new businesses in 2019.
  • 6% of Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 started new businesses in 2019.

Testimonials

In Crossing the Swamp, John Shen shares the story of his own successful parallel ventures while presenting a roadmap of eight key elements which are vital for any parallel entrepreneur to adopt to avoid pitfalls and achieve success. John outlines these points while sharing the ups and downs of his personal journey with brutal honesty and clarity. This approach is why I believe Crossing the Swamp is not only critical for the parallel entrepreneur, but greatly beneficial to any modern entrepreneur or student of business.
Bruce ThompsonCalifornia politician
I highly recommend Crossing the Swamp. It's a must-read for any startup founder who seeks inspiration and valuable insights into entrepreneurial success. John Shen provides clear, actionable advice that proves he knows the inner life of an entrepreneur. Even more, no other book about entrepreneurship better captures the challenges of being an immigrant in the US who seeks the American Dream. If you want to ensure your startup is successful, this is the book to read.
Simon PangCo-founder, Royal Business Bank, 1st generation immigrant entrepreneur
From its gripping start to its motivating finish, Crossing the Swamp is a must-read for entrepreneurs at any stage. John Shen shares his 20 years of business experience to help us overcome the challenges business (and life) will surely throw our way! Whether you are a veteran or a novice, you will find the tools you need and the inspiration to use them.
Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey, Founders of Barefoot WinesNew York Times Bestselling Authors of The Barefoot Spirit
What sets Crossing the Swamp apart from any competitors is its clear strategies for adaptation and change, which come from real-life and business lessons...Businesses, libraries and entrepreneurs seeking concrete assessments of common obstacles and how to overcome them to cultivate a wider-ranging success than a singular approach must have Crossing the Swamp in their collections
D. Donovan, Midwest Book ReviewSenior Reviewer
John Shen offers down-to-earth, practical, insightful, and comprehensive lessons learned along his fascinating twenty-year journey from a Chinese immigrant to a multiple national award-winning parallel entrepreneur of five companies in this must-read book for entrepreneurs...the lessons learned are not just based on John’s successful ventures but his failures and darkest hours, the insights from which are simply unparalleled.
Imran CurrimExecutive Director, Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Distinguished Professor of Marketing at the University of California Irvine Paul Merage School of Business
John Shen’s book is not only a remarkable personal journey leading to understanding, wisdom, and ultimately enlightenment to become an outstanding entrepreneur and innovator, but it is much more. John’s strength is his intuitive understanding of empathy.
Ira KurzbanAttorney At Law
A well-constructed memoir/business guide with a special focus on first-generation immigrants...Many business writings are framed as cutthroat; impressively, the opposite is true here, as the book focuses instead on the inspirational, often emphasizing aiding others who seek to become entrepreneurs and giving back to the community.
Kirkus Review
This book encompasses a multitude of valuable lessons in the realm of business..both a source of motivation and entrepreneurial awareness by presenting the life of a successful innovator and his journey to success...highly recommend this book to new startups in the business world (who) can benefit from adopting the author's leadership culture.
Online Bookclub Review
Distilling decades’ worth of business experiences into professional-growth advice for fellow entrepreneurs, "Crossing the Swamp" is inspiring.
Foreword Reviews
The founder of five companies, Shen was born and raised in Beijing and spoke little English when he arrived in the U.S. to pursue a PhD in sociology at Duke. Now, he’s expansive about his success: “I’m writing this book to share my entrepreneurial journey because I believe anyone can do what I have done.”
Blue Ink Review
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