Bootstrap Entrepreneur: How Grit, Faith, and Help From a Chippewa Tribe Built a Technology Company

By John Miller and Christina Schweighofer

An entertaining, inspiring history of America's rise to technological leadership, seen through the eyes of someone who helped make it happen.

 

Did you know that decades before Silicon Valley, the Twin Cities were the first technology hub? That computer memory, back then, had to be made by hand?

 

Author John Miller was one of the contributors to the tech revolution that started with World War II. In the early 1970s, in the midst of inflation and recession, he bootstrapped a technology company based in St. Paul.

 

While Miller possessed determination, engineering experience, and an unwavering commitment to quality, people doubted he would be successful. His only product, core memory, was on the way out and soon to be replaced by the silicon chip. There was only one customer for the product. And Miller's manufacturing facility was located in rural North Dakota, on a Native American reservation.

 

Miller defied the naysayers. Weathering political and economic turmoil, he fought bankers and charmed buyers. He earned the respect of hundreds of employees from the Turtle Mountain Chippewa community, built a loyal team, and became a multimillion-dollar supplier of electronic components to IBM, Honeywell, and 3M.

 

At a time when the United States government is scrambling to bring computer chip manufacturing and associated jobs back from overseas, Miller's well-researched debut book serves as a poignant reminder: With a focus on quality and efficiency, the Made-in-America label can be profitable, and underserved communities can play a valuable part in such a transition.

 

You will discover

• little-known facts about World War II projects that led to the modern computer
• how General MacArthur triggered the quality movement in post-war Japan
• how to bootstrap a business, find product-market fit, and deal with banks
• how ethical leadership and a focus on quality make for happy customer

Are you ready for a good story? Pick up your copy today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Miller
• Release date: Sep 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9798986615608

John Miller

John Miller's first novel, The Featherbed, received stellar reviews and earned a devoted readership upon its release in 22. Besides novels, Miller has written on culture and politics, and in his spare time he provides consulting services to local and international non-profit organizations and governments. He lives in Toronto