You'd think the title of Christine Comaford-Lynch's new book pretty much says it all: Rules for Renegades: How to Make More Money, Rock Your Career, and Revel in Your Individuality. Actually, that's only the tip of the iceberg, coming from a woman who is a five-time CEO and company founder of businesses that all grew to be either taken public or acquired privately. Add to that impressive resume the fact that she has played a key role in 700 of the Fortune 1000 companies and 300 small businesses, and you might think you're sitting down to read a guru's book.

However, Comaford-Lynch isn't interested in simply crowing about her success. She takes a fearless look at her failures and endeavors to communicate what she has learned from each of them.

Prior to her life as a renegade entrepreneur, Comaford-Lynch has been everything from a model to a Buddhist monk to an innovative software engineer. A high-school dropout who managed to smooth talk her way into college only to drop out again, she was named one of the Top Women in Computing by BusinessWeek and ranked as one of the Top Five Renegade Entrepreneurs by Success. She has 20 years of experience holding operational high-tech positions with companies such as Adobe, Apple, and Microsoft.

Comaford-Lynch says, "My plan was to show you how exhilarating and creative business can be by telling you a lot of funny stories about my career, so you could laugh and gasp as you read about the total triumphs and absolute train wrecks I've presided over. There's a lot to learn from both. But as I mulled over my life as an entrepreneur, I realized that there was a bigger story to tell -- the hard-won wisdom that emerges from a fulfilling life while rocking your career."

Ruling Your Rules

Comaford-Lynch discusses 10 rules for your career and your life. These rules include "Build Power Instead of Borrowing It" (a look at how you can't rely on your relationships with powerful people to get you your own power), "Only You Can Lead Your Life" (an examination of leadership for yourself and your staff), and "Resign as the General Manager of the Universe" (a quick guide for learning how to let go of your inner control freak). For each rule, Comaford-Lynch provides examples from her own experiences to illustrate her points.

Through her Rule #6: "Learn to Love Networking," Comaford-Lynch offers the low-down on how to successfully build a solid network around you. Aside from the standard business tip, she also provides insight into how to read people's handshakes, even describing her experience shaking hands with both Bill and Hillary Clinton. (Hillary has the better handshake.)

Make the World a Better Place

Comaford-Lynch isn't only out to show her readers how to take on the business world. She also is focused on helping her readers bring true innovative, adventurous spirit out of the board room and into the world at large. She grounds her advice in the context of the larger world, recognizing that "whatever you do and whatever you think will come back to you, for good or ill," and she makes a strong argument for finding your own, personal method for giving back to the world and making a difference.

Excerpted with permission. Copyright © 2007 by Soundview Executive Book Summaries. www.summary.com, 1(800) SUMMARY, 1 (610) 558-9495. This month's column is sponsored by the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, www.vbmeetings.com.