HELPING YOU BUILD THE LIFE AND BUSINESS YOU DESERVE

Entrepreneurial Myths

THE E-MYTH REVISITED (Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It) by Michael Gerber, should be compulsory reading for all owner managers, and particularly those just starting out in business.

BOOK REVIEW:

Essential reading for anyone running a small business. The author owns a leading business consultancy that specialises in reengineering small businesses to make them work properly. I've always avoided the idea of running my own business simply because of the pain I've seen almost everyone I know go through when they started one. Every time things get tough, they have only one solution: work harder and put in more hours. Many of those that survive do so only because the owners simply refuse to give up. As a result they and their families suffer. So many people seem to get swallowed by their business, as if Jaws had come out of the sea and pulled them from their inflatable. Those of us standing at the edge of the water tut-tut and think "No way I'm going in there". This book has changed my thinking about all that.

As Mr Gerber says, the problem is very few people have been properly trained in how to run a business. Most small business people start out as technicians who got hit by an entrepreneurial seizure. As a result of their technical background, they have a tragic tendency to retreat back into the one thing they feel certain they know how to do well: the technical work. This is known as the comfort zone. To be a real business owner, you must move beyond your comfort zone and learn how to think strategically about your business rather than working in it.

The author poses the question: if you were to expand your business to 4 different locations, could you continue to run the 4 the way you do the one you have now? What if you expanded to 1000 locations? If you are doing the usual thing and running around performing every critical function in your business yourself then the

answer is obvious: you can't. You should view the one business you have as a prototype for all the others you are going to create and run it accordingly.

The core message is that rather than doing all the work yourself, you should set up business systems. By which he means a documented procedure or checklist for every function that occurs in your business. Once you have a functioning system in place, you can then hire a relatively inexperienced person and meticulously train them to follow the system you have set up. The better the system, the better the employee performs and the better your business performs. Your manager's job is to manage the systems not the people (people are inherently unmanageable), refining and improving the systems. This leaves you free to do the real work of an owner: thinking about how to improve and grow your business.

Another good title for this book would have been "Zen and the Art of Business" since it draws so much on the authors personal philosophy of how a business should be run. He talks about business in an exciting, refreshing way I've never heard before. For example, comparing the prototype business to a martial arts dojo where you practice and practice and practice until you get it right.

You should have your business revolve around your personal life and personal goals rather than the usual scenario of being a slave to your business. The whole point of starting a business is to improve your quality of life, not suck it out of you. To that end he takes you through the steps you should go through when setting up a business to avoid those pitfalls:

•  Define your primary aim based on your personal life goals
• Define the strategic objectives that your business has to ultimately do in order to achieve the primary aim
• Have an organisation chart from the very start, even if there's only one person in the business. This is so you can start working out what functions to replace with systems.
• Realise that what you really need is a Management System, not a Manager
• Make sure your people understand the idea behind the work they do and that the idea is more important than  the work itself. In order to generate motivation, encourage them to treat the systems as a game to be played.
  

If you are in any doubt, take a look at his web site. I think there is plenty there to convince you to buy this book. Its certainly been worth my time and I'm seriously considering starting my own business purely as a result of reading this book. - A. Customer 21 Nov 2002.  

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING (Change Your Attitude and You Change Your Life), by Jeff Keller, is one of those rare books that everyone can identify with. We have given complimentary copies to a number of our clients who had seemingly hit a “mental wall” in either their personal or business life.  You can have the best plans, intentions, products, offices, work colleagues, but if YOUR ATTITUDE is wrong then nothing worthwhile will come of all your hard work and sacrifice.

You have the ability to transform your life and soar to new heights of success and fulfilment. Whether your attitude is negative, positive, or somewhere in between, this "success manual" will show you how to take control of your life and unleash your incredible potential.

This book is filled with inspiring stories and easy-to-understand success principles. Jeff Keller presents the material with sincerity, clarity and impact in a way that will inspire you to develop the greatness within you! By learning and applying the 12 lessons in this exciting book, you'll be energised. You'll begin to see new possibilities. You'll take action to develop your unique talents. And you'll achieve extraordinary results!

BOOK REVIEWS:

On a personal level I read your book about 3 years ago and it had a huge positive impact on my life. I re-read your book at least twice a year. My job is to develop managers and I run a 6-month development programme. Attitude is Everything is required reading for all participants and the feedback from the 44 people who have completed this programme is…WOW! The improvement in them as individuals has been noted back in their branches across the UK to the extent that I have been asked for copies of the book for Area Managers and Regional Directors. It has had such an impact upon one region within our business that they are rolling your messages out to all of their staff in the next 4 months. Thank you for such an inspirational book. Chris Chinn, Management Development Manager,Vanguard Rental (UK) Ltd.

Your book, Attitude is Everything, has made the greatest impact on my life. Your words have helped me to change from a negative, cynical, victim mentality, 'woe is me' lifestyle into a new person. I have lost count of the number of times I have read it. I have decided to start my own business. This, I owe all to your book. I have more energy, more control over my life and I'm infinitely happier. Thank you for your life-changing book. Peter Irlam

Attitude is Everything has helped me to hone in on positive thought and motivational techniques related to my career and interpersonal relationships. Now, before reacting to any situation, I consciously choose a positive response -- what a difference it makes! I am more confident when dealing with a negative situation by applying Jeff's easily understood, user-friendly techniques. The best part is I was able to put these ideas to work immediately! Natalie Tedone

Your book is a tonic for mental, emotional, physical and spiritual prosperity. You give real life example after example of what works. I also enjoy that you don't rehash the same old stories but you take the lead in discovering new examples of inspiration. Attitude is Everything is a Mark McGwire home run in the motivational field. Jack E. McClendon, Jr.

Having read many motivational books, I found Jeff's ideas fresh and inspiring. This book is useful not only for salespeople, but for anyone wishing to make positive changes in their lives. David D'Agostino, Prudential

Anyone can learn from Jeff's twelve easy lessons immediately. Keep this book at your fingertips. When you occasionally need a little attitude adjustment, open it anywhere, and a valuable quote or phrase will jump off the page right into your heart and soul. Julie Salgo

There is no shortage of motivational books on the market. But what sets Attitude is Everything apart from the crowd is Jeff Keller's unique ability to tackle the real issues on the minds of today's business professionals, and to offer practical, substantive ideas for conquering these issues. In my mind, nobody else comes close to delivering the goods like Jeff Keller. Art Siegel, Publisher, SalesDoctors Magazine